CANBERRA, AAP – Two federal government grants of $125 million will go to two refiners in Queensland and Victoria to shore up Australia’s domestic supply of fuel.
The grants will be matched by the Ampol refinery in Brisbane and the Viva Energy refinery in Geelong for major facility upgrades and to strengthen local production.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the investment will secure domestic fuel production and supply amid global uncertainty stemming from events like the conflict in Ukraine.
“COVID-19, the Russian war in Ukraine and trade restrictions have disrupted global supply chains and Australia is not immune,” he said.
“Oil refineries literally fuel a stronger economy and these investments will help keep our truckies, miners, defence force and farmers moving across Australia.”
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An extra 500 construction jobs will be added across both refineries, the prime minister said.
The projects are expected to be completed before the end of 2024.
The funding comes from a fuel security package announced in the 2021/22 budget.
Mr Morrison’s election campaign had a hiccup overnight in Sydney where he was confronted by an angry man at a private event.
The 20-year-old, later told to leave Penrith’s Nepean Rowing Club by police, postage footage to TikTok of his approach to Mr Morrison.
“Scomo, across the river here, across the Nepean River, people lost their houses and they were burned. You’re a disgrace – you are a disgrace,” the man can be heard saying in the video.
He is identified online as a “progressive activist” and member of Young Labor.
Mr Morrison will start the third day of the campaign trail in western Sydney after a day-two blitz through marginal seats spruiking the government’s economic credentials.
During a visit to a manufacturing plant in Parramatta, he pledged to create 1.3 million jobs over the next five years.
