Bowen Rejects Calls for 90-Day Fuel Stockpile as Coalition Raises Supply Concerns

Chris Bowen said the stockpile would cost $20 billion over the next 4 years.Fuel nozzles rest in a fuel dispenser at a petrol station in Melbourne, Australia, on July 23, 2013. Scott Barbour/Getty Images3/9/2026|Updated: 3/9/2026Energy Minister Chris Bowen has pushed back against calls for Australia to maintain a 90-day domestic fuel stockpile, arguing the proposal would be extremely costly and unnecessary under current fuel security arrangements.Bowen said Australia had never maintained a 90-day reserve and criticised Coalition figures who have recently called for the country to adopt the benchmark recommended by the International Energy Agency (IEA).