Fuel Crisis Highlights Need for Australian Sovereignty

Fuel Crisis Highlights Need for Australian Sovereignty

18 March 2022

Australians have been reminded of the risk of supply interruptions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war and subsequent sanctions against Russia have sent local fuel prices soaring by at least a quarter to well beyond $2 a litre in much of Australia.

Recent natural disasters and the supply pressures caused by the sanctions have shown it is vital to hold a sovereign refining capability that meets our needs during an emergency, as well as into the future.

We now currently import around 90% of our liquid fuels, much of it from Singapore, South Korea, Japan, China and the US. This is a vastly different picture from Australia’s position 20 years ago, when there were eight oil refineries located strategically around the country.

The gradual disappearance of local oil refining capacity has seen fuel storage levels drop dramatically, from 90 days supply to less than 30 days supply.

Australia’s fuel security is essential for our national security and underpins our economy.

A spokesperson for the Federal Energy Minister, Angus Taylor, said the Morrison government is taking “strong, proactive measures to further enhance our domestic fuel security.” These included subsidising the two refineries until at least mid-2027, introducing a minimum stockholding obligation to safeguard levels of key transport fuels, and increasing onshore diesel stocks by 40% with industry through a $260m grants program.

Whilst supply issues will continue, this is a timely reminder of the importance of Australian-based and owned businesses, as they are the backbone of the Australian economic landscape.  Supporting Australian owned oil suppliers will help keep more Australians employed and will invest money directly back into our communities – which we so desperately need. 

Riordan Fuels is an Aussie-owned business with 100% of their fuel produced in Geelong, Victoria.  They provide Aussies with an extensive fuel network that expands across regional Victoria, metropolitan Victoria and Southern NSW.

Officially certified as an Australian Owned business, Riordan Fuels have seven service stations and more than 40 self-service diesel tanks along with 50 private fuel tanks in its fuel distribution network which are maintained round the clock by their modern fleet of trucks & fuel tankers.

Employing over 65 people, Riordan Fuels started with a big vision to become the leader in fuel supply to regional communities and that is exactly what they have done.  They have a strong customer base and commitment to regional areas. 

“Because we are an Aussie owned family business we are part of the community which we serve,” said Riordan Fuels Owner, Robert Riordan.

“Supporting Aussie owned businesses is crucial as communities recover and rebuild post COVID-19.  It’s important to keep the country’s cities and towns active and alive.  Buying from Aussie owned businesses keeps money moving through our economy, keeps Aussies in jobs and contributes to the fabric of our communities.”

Australian Owned Certified businesses are all about Australia.  They are Australian people. In Australian communities.  Investing directly in the Australian economy. 

“It’s important to us to be part of a national initiative like Australian Owned that’s strengthening communities through jobs and investment and contributing to the long-term prosperity of this country,” said Mr Riordan. 

Is your business Australian Owned? Support the initiative by making an application for certification online at www.ausowned.com.au.

2022 Federal Election: Statement of Priorities

Federal Election Priorities 2022

INVEST IN AUSTRALIA

Australian Owned has publicly released its 2022 Federal Election Statement of Priorities. Informed by formal submissions from our certified business community which consists of business owners and operators as well as engaged discussion with our consumer-based audience of 1.7 million Australian group members, this document outlines two national policy initiatives that will optimise partnerships between the Commonwealth, the Australian business sector, and the consumer.

Thousands of businesses have sought Australian Owned certification in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the vulnerability of the Australian economy to foreign-owned supply chains.

Investing in Australian business and ensuring that investment is genuine and qualified is more important than ever. Too often we see profits meant for Australia, sent offshore with multi‐nationals paying almost no tax and whose business interest cannot be relied on.

Australian Owned certification supports and promotes genuine Australian business. We are Australia’s only trusted and transparent certification system that ensures business and products are genuinely Australian owned and made. This ensures profits stay in Australia, are invested in the Australian economy, supporting the long-term prosperity of our country.

In this election, we are looking for the next government to implement procurement policies and programs to genuinely benefit Australian owned and operated businesses. Equally as important is the requirement that ownership and manufacturing is qualified to an acceptable degree, benefiting Australia, and protecting our supply chain.

Keeping profits and security in Australia must be a priority.

Whilst the current public sentiment and Government support for Australian business is encouraging, there continues to be flaws in procurement frameworks around the country.

We strongly support action under these priorities, which puts Australian business first. We encourage the incoming Federal Government to develop an integrated cross-departmental, collaborative, and cross-sector policy framework that provides stronger and more active support for the Australian business sector.

These priorities were developed following extensive consultation and collaboration with our certified licensee network, as well as business owners and consumers across the country.

Alongside our business community and Australian consumer base, we are now calling on all parties and candidates to support these national priorities ahead of the election and empower Australian-owned businesses to play a meaningful role in Australia’s recovery.

AO-2022-Federal-Election-Priorities-3Download

Australia: Don’t Leave Aussie Business Behind

AUSTRALIA: DON’T LEAVE AUSSIE BUSINESS BEHIND

It is encouraging to see the recently unveiled national Australian logo ‘Only in Australia’ – to jump start much needed trade and investment.  

Whilst millions of Aussie dollars thrown behind a new national logo design might appear as a great step forward, we must ensure we do not leave Aussie business owners and manufacturers behind in the process.  

Local manufacturing is critical to a modern Australian economy. It is a vital part of Australia’s response to the COVID-19 crisis and is key to almost every supply chain. Transparency in ownership and manufacturing is crucial for sustainable long term growth and to keep investment here.  

Too often we see profits meant for Australia, sent offshore with multi‐nationals paying almost no tax. When businesses are genuinely owned by Australians, profits stay here and are invested here. This is integral to our economic growth, creating new jobs and contributing to the long-term prosperity of our great country.  

A national, trusted and transparent business ownership certification is crucial if we truly believe in promoting and investing in Australia.  

Australian Owned General Manager, Kristy Ponting, said a tick box “claiming Australian ownership” is not enough. 

“Australian Owned was founded with a vision to build transparency and trust in the Australian Owned Certified logo for both business and the consumer,” said Ms Ponting.  

“The AO logo isn’t a tokentistic stamp of Aussie approval. It’s an official certification. This means that businesses can’t use the logo unless they have gone through our stringent certification process.”

Australian Owned has seen significant and rapid growth since its establishment.  This confirms that ownership and manufacturing matters to the general public and business.  

Businesses can apply for their certification via the Australian Owned website.  

ENDS

For enquiries, contact [email protected]. 

About Australian Owned:

Australian Owned (AO) was established to promote and support businesses that are owned by Aussies.  This extends to businesses that offer services and to those who manufacture their products right here in Australia. This means profits stay here and are reinvested here, supporting Aussie jobs and growing the economy. 

When a business applies for certification, a qualified compliance team breaks down complex company structures and guarantees Australian ownership and manufacturing.

Only businesses with considerable Australian influence are awarded an Australian Owned Certified logo, signifying, and recognising that the Australian economy will benefit by the support of the business/ product bearing the logo.

Products that have the Australian Owned Certified logo on a label or product packaging are proving that their production is ‘significantly Australian’ (materials, ingredients, labour hours etc) and in recognition, have been granted approval, in accordance with the Australian Owned Certification Rules (as lodged with the ACCC), to display the Australian Owned Certified logo.  

 The trusted AO logo says:

  • Transparency in ownership and manufacturing
  • Due Diligence
  • Quality Control
  • Quality Compliance Professionals
  • Application Examination
  • Business Operation Evaluation
  • Determination of significant Australian influence in business operations

For Business: Australian Owned and iSponsor: partnering to boost investment in Australian communities

Australian Owned are pleased to announce the signing of a new partnership with the giving platform iSponsor.  This partnership will provide Australian Owned businesses recognition of their certification via the iSponsor platform, assisting businesses to build their Aussie owned brand and positively market their products and services to a larger audience.

iSponsor is an easy to use app, making the process of raising funds for local sporting clubs and charities simple whilst growing community support for local businesses through the iSponsor giving platform. 

Connecting community groups such as sporting clubs and charities directly with local businesses helps expand business customer base and increase profitability and gives these groups the investment they need.  

This partnership is a win-win for Aussie owned businesses and local clubs and charitable organisations.  Not to mention the helping hand it gives to consumers, conscious of supporting Aussie owned.  

Becoming official partners gives Australian Owned Certified businesses the opportunity to register to iSponsor, now another benefit of being certified with Australian Owned, and receive official recognition of Australian ownership, a point of difference to other business listings on the app.  Customers using the app will be able to easily identify Australian Owned business to support with the addition of the Australian Owned Certified logo next to certified business profiles.

“Partnering with iSponsor just makes sense,” said Eddie Kocwa from Australian Owned.

“With aligning business missions, our partnership with iSponsor will help support the Aussie owned business community even further, giving them a new captive audience from the clubs and organisations they choose to partner with.

“Our vision has been to build transparency and trust in the Australian Owned Certified logo for both business and consumer.  The logo has a strong message – support this business and profits stay in Australia.  Now customers can shop with confidence, knowing they are supporting Aussie owned and supporting their local club at the same time.”

iSponsor CEO and Founder, Richard Siganto, agreed the partnership was a natural fit.  

“iSponsor was created to help Australian sporting clubs, charities and other NFPs as well as drive more business to local Australian businesses. When we found out about Australian Owned it was only natural that we try to partner with them on some level. This partnership makes sense on many levels but the biggest one is to have Australians support Australians.”

Australian Owner General Manager, Kristy Ponting, said this was an exciting step for Australian Owned certified businesses.

“Our mission is to give businesses the tools to grow, assisting to strengthen communities through jobs and investment,” said General Manager, Kristy Ponting.

“This new partnership with iSponsor is the next step towards achieving this mission and I am looking forward to seeing our growing register of Australia Owned Certified businesses jump at the opportunity,” said Ms Ponting. 

For more information contact [email protected].

The Bushtracker Difference

Custom caravan manufacturer Bushtracker have been designing and building caravans for over 25 years. Having pioneered the off-road caravan concept, Bushtracker ensures that all aspects of design and construction are controlled in-house. Instead of using an assembly plant of third-party supplied products, the team at Bushtracker build every one of their caravans from the ground up at their Sunshine Coast factory, inviting their customers to come in and see for themselves how it all happens.

Being a registered Australian Owned Licensee has helped Bushtracker become recognised as a locally owned manufacturer, something that owner Matt Kurvink feels is important to promote. 

‘By supporting Australian Owned businesses you are investing in our country’s future. We all want later generations to have the opportunities we do and that comes from having a strong economy, providing jobs to Australians, and allowing business profits to remain in the country.’

Mr Kurvink believes incorporating the Australian Owned logo into their business has helped give Bushtracker an advantage over the competition, stating that a lot of his competitors ‘cannot claim the same’, and that customers will look to buy Australian if given the option.
‘The RV market is rapidly changing with more products coming from overseas. I do believe that Australian’s will choose locally owned and produced products if given the choice’ – Mr Kurvink said.

Uber Eats… Into Profits.

Yes delivery services like Uber Eats and Deliveroo have changed the way people eat, but it comes at a cost that might be too much for a lot of our restaurants.

When the pandemic hit, Australians were forced to stay at home.  Restaurants across the country closed their doors, some limited their capacity to stay open, and others moved solely to online orders only.  Restaurants had to adjust and delivery became a lifeline.  With many restaurants moving to delivery services for the first time, like them or not, joining these foreign-owned delivery platforms was their way to help drum up more business.

Although these platforms offer a convenient way for customers to order from local restaurants, process relevant payments and organise delivery, restaurant operators are complaining that this ‘convenience’ comes at a considerable cost to their business. For these services, restaurants are charged around 30% per order, which in an industry where profit margins are often razor thin, these fees can wipe out a restaurant’s profits and land them in financial trouble. Unfortunately this is leaving businesses with just two choices: raising prices or closing for good. Both of which are a loss for the customer.

What’s worse is that the 30% commission being taken from our restaurants is void of any tax when it’s paid to a foreign-owned company such as Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Menulog. This means profits and tax from our restaurants are going overseas instead of being invested back into local industry. 

The situation is concerning for restaurants, cafes and caterers as rising costs, government imposed restrictions and heavy competition is putting extreme financial pressure on owners. 

So what can diners do to help support their local restaurants and keep taxes within Australia?

  • Dining in at your favourite restaurant when possible
  • Contacting the restaurant directly via phone or website to make your order
  • Look for a local delivery business – they’re out there.  Australian Owned Zoom Delivery recently launched and services the northeast of NSW.  With more local entrepreneurs realising this gap in the local delivery market, more choices are sure to come.

Convenience is obviously a strong driver when choosing what and where to eat,  but it is important we understand that restaurants will close if something doesn’t change soon. It’s never been more important to support our Australian restaurants and caterers.

Australian Grown, Australian Owned

Outback Harvest is owned and operated by the McNaul family, located near the township of Wakool in the southern Riverina of NSW. They have a long history in agriculture stretching back four generations, with a passion for innovation that has led them to grow and market the first Australian grown teff, a grain traditionally grown in African regions.

By providing a range of ‘paddock to plate’ products, Outback Harvest reinvigorates the personal connection between the origins of food produced by farmers, and the people that consume them. They also support other Aussie farmers, sourcing ingredients from them throughout the production process.

Being official certified by Australian Owned, Outback Harvest use their AO certification and AO logo to better assist the consumer in identifying them as locally owned.  

‘Consumers feel it’s important to support Australian-owned businesses in light of the current Covid-19 pandemic. They are learning that it has never been more important to strengthen our economy and our communities. We feel proud to be an Australian Owned Business and to be associated with a logo that resonates with so many people’, says Mr McNaul.

Since being granted the Australian Owned licence the community response has been ‘outstanding’, reports Mr McNaul.  ‘Having an Australian Owned Logo is a competitive advantage on International brands who cannot possibly own this title’, he said.

‘Although we have always showcased that our products are proudly Australian grown and owned by an Australian family, having this licence has tied it in nicely to promote within the community’
Australian Owned are proud to have granted Outback Harvest with the Australian Owned Licence in acknowledgement of their Australian grown, produced and owned products.  Find their business directory listing here.

Joy Pool Systems: 100% Australian Owned Manufacturer

Joy Pool Systems are an Australian company that has been proudly manufacturing and distributing the highest quality AquaJoy salt & mineral swimming pool chlorinator products for over 30 years. Being an Australian manufacturer, they know exactly how difficult it can be competing against foreign companies in a market governed by price.

Since registering with Australian Owned, Joy Pool Systems have been able to promote their local ownership to a wider range of customers, giving their business a competitive advantage. This has resulted in an increase in online sales activity, but most importantly has made it easier for consumers to understand the difference in price from their overseas competitors and recognise the long term value in buying products from a locally owned manufacturer.

‘It helps customers understand why our products aren’t as price competitive as overseas made products. Australian products have strict manufacturing requirements that are designed to ensure the customer receives a quality product. This results in an additional cost that can make our product a little more expensive initially but will definitely save in the long run compared to many imported options’

‘Australians have slowly been losing control of their own products for many years now to overseas companies. Wages and taxes being paid in Australia are what keep our economy alive’

More local manufacturers like Joy Pool Systems can be found on the Australian Owned Directory.

Andrew’s Story

Andrew came up with the idea of starting an online homewares business in July 2020 after his partner Rena was stood down due to COVID-19. For Andrew and Rena, it was an opportunity to create something from scratch, a business that would support local manufacturers and offer consumers quality Australian products.

‘The response from our customers has been one of overwhelming support. We found that people were proud to be buying from an Australian owned company, supporting local business.’

‘There’s a perception that locally made products are superior in quality and are trusted above imported goods. Additionally, knowing they are supporting local jobs and the economy gives our customers a sense of pride at a time when supply chains have been interrupted by the pandemic and unemployment is high’.

When producing their collections, Living Green Decor sourced their products by reaching out to local wholesalers from across the country who had been affected by COVID-19. As you can imagine these businesses were only too happy to work with Andrew and Rena. 

‘We are proud to be able to support our fellow Australians and promote our Australian Ownership to our customers, now more than ever’

Aussies helping Aussies. That’s something worth celebrating!