Australia’s fuel tanks are running dry, and it’s not just commuters feeling the pinch at the bowser. For thousands of older Australians living at home, this isn’t a financial headache—it’s a matter of life and death. While the government bickers over supply chains and "monitoring the situation," the reality on the ground is that the people we rely on to keep our seniors safe are being priced out of their jobs.
If you think this is just about expensive petrol, you’re missing the point. We’re looking at a systemic collapse of home-based aged care. When a support worker can’t afford the $160-a-week hit to their personal budget just to drive to their clients, they don't just "suffer through it." They quit. And when they quit, a 90-year-old in a regional town misses their heart medication, goes without a meal, or lies on the floor for twelve hours after a fall because nobody was there to check on them. Learn more on a related issue: this related article.
The math of a care crisis
The numbers coming out of the sector right now are staggering. According to recent data from the United Workers Union, the average home care worker covers about 260km every week. In the current climate, with prices at many regional stations hitting $4 a litre for diesel, those workers are losing massive chunks of their take-home pay just to show up.
Most of these people drive their own cars. They aren't corporate executives with fuel cards; they’re low-wage essential workers. When the cost of the commute exceeds the value of the shift, the logic of staying in the sector evaporates. Further journalism by Associated Press highlights related views on this issue.
- Fuel price hikes: Unleaded is up 40%, and diesel has spiked by more than 66% in some areas.
- Out-of-pocket costs: Workers are reporting a $160 weekly deficit just on petrol.
- Provider strain: Some aged care providers have seen their monthly fuel bills jump by 50% in a single month.
This isn't a "soft" impact. It’s an immediate threat to service delivery. If the tank is empty, the care doesn't happen. It’s that simple.
Why "monitoring the situation" isn't enough
The federal government’s response has been, frankly, underwhelming. While organizations like Ageing Australia and the Rural Doctors Association of Australia (ACRRM) are screaming for help, the official line remains focused on "business advice" and "supply statistics."
Senator Anne Ruston hit the nail on the head recently: you can't deliver home care with an empty tank. Providing "business advice" to a provider who literally cannot find or afford fuel is like giving a drowning person a manual on how to hold their breath.
The Liquid Fuel Emergency Act exists for a reason, yet there’s still no clear word on whether home care workers are officially recognized as "essential fuel users." Without that designation, they’re stuck in the same lines as everyone else, fighting for whatever is left at the pump after the panic-buyers have had their way.
The invisible danger in regional Australia
If you live in a metro area with trains and buses, the fuel crisis is an annoyance. If you’re an older Australian in a regional or remote community, it’s a cage. These areas rely almost entirely on "drive-in, drive-out" models of care.
In places like regional NSW or Queensland, distances are huge. A support worker might drive 50km between just two clients. When fuel runs low or prices double, those "outlying" clients are the first to be cut from the schedule. It’s a cold, hard economic calculation that leaves the most vulnerable people in the country completely isolated.
We’re already seeing reports of:
- Missed Medications: Without a morning visit, complex pill regimes fall apart.
- Nutritional Decline: Meals on Wheels services are struggling to maintain delivery routes.
- Wound Care Failures: Essential dressing changes are being delayed, leading to hospitalizations that our system can’t afford.
The COVID lesson we’re ignoring
We’ve been here before. During the early days of the pandemic, aged care was treated as an afterthought while hospitals were prioritized. We saw the result: a crisis that claimed lives and shattered the workforce.
Right now, we’re making the same mistake. We're prioritizing the "supply chain" for retail and general industry while the people actually keeping our citizens alive are left to fend for themselves. The sector is calling for practical, immediate interventions: fuel vouchers for workers, guaranteed priority at the pump, and a price cap or subsidy for essential service vehicles.
The government claims the supply is secure and that the problem is "panic buying." Even if that's true, the price remains the barrier. A "secure" supply doesn't help a worker who can't afford the price on the sign.
What needs to happen right now
If we don't want to see a spike in preventable deaths among our seniors, the "wait and see" approach has to end today.
- Essential Status: The government must formally designate home care and aged care workers as essential fuel users under the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act.
- Immediate Subsidies: Roll out emergency fuel vouchers for workers using their private vehicles for care visits.
- Rationalized Travel: Providers need the flexibility to temporarily restructure care plans to minimize travel without being penalized by funding models that only pay for "contact time."
Check in on your neighbors. If you have an older person living nearby who usually gets home visits, ask if their carer has been able to make it. Don't wait for the official reports to tell you there's a problem—it's already here.
