WHAT WAS CLAIMED
The Australian energy minister said there are only 18 days of petrol left in the nation's fuel reserves.
OUR VERDICT
False. The claim is based on an edited news graphic.
AAP FACTCHECK - The Australian government did not announce the country's fuel reserves have been reduced to 18 days of petrol, despite claims online.
The claim is based on an altered graphic shared by an Iranian state-aligned media outlet.
War in the Middle East, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran, has impacted the flow of oil and gas around the world due to Tehran's retaliatory actions and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
Tasnim News, an Iranian news outlet linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published an article on March 15 about Australia's energy fuel supply.
"Australia's Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced: we only have 18 days of petrol, 16 days of diesel and 14 days of jet fuel," the article states, translated from Persian.
It includes a graphic illustrating these figures, attributed to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW).
However, these numbers are false and represent about half of Australia's reported fuel reserves.
The graphic includes the logo for public broadcaster SBS in the top left corner and matches one SBS published in a March 14 article.
However, the figures in the SBS graphic said Australia's fuel reserve has 36 days of petrol, 32 days of diesel and 29 days of jet fuel and are based on a statement Energy Minister Chris Bowen made in parliament on March 12.
A watermark for Google's AI tool Gemini is also visible in the bottom right corner in the version published by Tasnim News.
The fake graphic is being shared widely on Facebook and X.
"Australia has 2 weeks of fuel left says Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen," one user said.
As of March 17, Australia's domestic fuel reserves stand at 37 days of petrol, 30 days of diesel and 29 days of jet fuel, according to the DCCEEW.
These figures refer to Australia's domestic fuel reserves and the number of days it would last if no shipments were received, but oil and gas supply is continuing to arrive in the country, the ABC reported.
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