Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has embarked on a high-stakes diplomatic tour of Asia, seeking to secure fuel supplies and alleviate the nation's crippling energy crisis. The fuel diplomacy tour, which kicked off with a whirlwind visit to Singapore, has already shown signs of paying off, but Albanese's leadership is about to face its toughest test yet. As the country struggles to cope with soaring fuel prices and dwindling supplies, the Prime Minister's ability to negotiate with key regional players will be put to the ultimate test. With a visit to one of Australia's last remaining fuel refineries, Albanese is under pressure to prove that his efforts will bring tangible results and ease the burden on Australian households and businesses.
The prime minister has weathered the crises – for now – and there is a growing recognition that Australia is too vulnerable to world eventsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese’s fuel diplomacy tour of Asia has already started paying dividends, but the real test could still be to come.After last week’s rush to Singapore and pulling forward a planned visit, the prime minister dashed back to Australia from Malaysia on Thursday, to survey the damage at one of the nation’s only remaining fuel refineries. The hastily arranged trips, were to show a leader on the job; to demonstrate Albanese’s attention to the fuel crisis. Continue reading...
