SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned the economic shocks of the war in the Middle East would be felt for months and encouraged citizens to take public transport in a rare address to the nation on Wednesday (April 1). "The war in the Middle East has caused the biggest spike in petrol and diesel prices in history. The month-long conflict has spread across the Middle East, killing thousands, disrupting energy supplies and threatening to send the global economy into a tailspin. Albanese said the coming months "may not be easy" but said the government would do everything it could to help Australians. To boost supply, the government has temporarily relaxed fuel standards and also released petrol and diesel from its domestic reserves.

Source: thestar April 01, 2026 18:30 UTC