Tonight, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a national address, interrupting regular television programming and radio broadcasts to speak about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the fuel crisis.

My fellow Australians, by nature we're an optimistic country, but I understand that right now it's hard to be positive. The war in the Middle East has caused the biggest spike in petrol and diesel prices in history. Australia is not an active participant in this war, but all Australians are paying higher prices because of it.

His address follows a range of measures the Government has announced in recent weeks to support Australians through the fuel crisis, including:

• Halving the fuel excise for three months, from 1 April to 30 June
• Temporary relief for impacted businesses from the ATO
• Extension of the Small Business Responsible Lending Obligation exemption for a further ten years
• Reducing the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero for three months
• Underwriting of additional fuel cargoes
• Establishment of the Fuel Supply Taskforce

National Cabinet also agreed earlier this week to four stages, as part of a National Fuel Security Plan:

1. Plan and prepare
2. Keeping Australia moving
3. Taking targeted action
4. Protecting critical services for all Australians

The timing of the national address was publicly announced at 11am, leading to extensive speculation throughout the day about what the Prime Minister might announce.

However, there were no new announcements or initiatives or declarations.

Rather, the Prime Minister used the address to recap the Government’s announcements to date, and to encourage Australians to go about life as usual.

You should go about your business and your life as normal. Enjoy your Easter. And, if you're hitting the road, don't take more fuel than you need - just fill up like you normally would. Think of others in your community, in the bush and in critical industries. And, over coming weeks, if you can switch to catching the train or bus or tram to work, do so. That builds our reserves and it saves fuel for people who have no choice but to drive - farmers and miners and tradies who need diesel every single day, and all those shift workers and nurses who do so much for our country.

National addresses are rare in Australia, highlighting the challenge faced by Australians (and the Albanese Government) at this time.

In recent history, there have been just three – in March 2020, Prime Minister Scott Morrison addressed the nation on the risks of COVID-19; in 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd used a national address to announce an economic stimulus package aimed at protecting Australia from the Global Financial Crisis; and in 2003, Prime Minister John Howard delivered a national address to announce Australia would be joining the war in Iraq.

York Park Group Managing Partner, Sean Sammon, said tonight's address was aimed at providing assurance and uniting Australians, however it may have inadvertently created some panic, even if temporary.

For 8 hours, Australians were anxiously waiting to hear what the Prime Minister was going to announce, worried about measures such as fuel rations or imposed travel bans. It’s likely memories of COVID restrictions came flooding back for many Australians today.

In the early days of the crisis, there was criticism of the Government’s messaging around fuel use, and the Opposition linked the language to blaming voters. In this next phase, the Government will have to thread the needle of encouraging personal accountability against more draconian measures.

York Park Group Partner, Elliot Stein – who was in Canberra today – said the issue is clearly now dominating all aspects of the Government.

This crisis falls right in the key decision making and forecasting window of the upcoming Federal Budget, which will be delivered on 12 May.

Despite having initially sought to keep the issue contained to a single portfolio, it’s evident the Government is rapidly shifting to a different footing.

Today, the Government turned to leaders across multiple sectors to seek to demonstrate calm and preparedness. For example, the Treasurer made his announcement for small business and industry support alongside the Business Council of Australia, Insurance Council of Australia, Customer Owned Banking Association, Australian Finance Industry Association, and Australian Banking Association, seeking to show an ‘all in this together’ approach.

The Prime Minister concluded his national address by reminding Australians of ‘the Australian way’:

The months ahead may not be easy. I want to be upfront about that. No government can promise to eliminate the pressures that this war is causing. I can promise we will do everything we can to protect Australia from the worst of it. These are uncertain times, but I'm absolutely certain of this. We will deal with these global challenges the Australian way - working together and looking after each other, as we always have.