About 11,000km from the Strait of Hormuz, this is how the fuel crisis is biting in Brisbane

On an average day, drivers delivering flowers from Elli Gregory’s florist can cover up to 240 kilometres through Brisbane’s suburbs.

She’s worried rising fuel prices will squeeze her business, Poppy Rose at Norman Park.

“We have started to see it reflected in our flower wholesale pricing, because obviously the fee to get all the flowers here is expensive,” she said.

“[It] is annoying because we’re all just recovering from the price increases through COVID and getting to a new normal, and now there’s another new normal coming.”

Gregory is in the same situation as many drivers across south-east Queensland, after the conflict in the Middle East and Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz led to a spike in fuel prices.

The price of diesel reached 301.9 cents per litre (cpl) in Stafford on Brisbane’s north side on Monday, while on Macleay Island, residents reported it recently hit 345cpl.

The fuel shortage appears to have prompted a surge in Queenslanders thinking about electric cars. Google Trends data showed the last time the search term spiked almost this high was in March 2022, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The effects on household budgets will go beyond the cost of filling up vehicles.

AgForce general president Shane McCarthy warned that increased costs for fuel and fertiliser for Queensland farmers would flow on to higher supermarket prices.

McCarthy said parts of Queensland and northern Australia were still wet after Cyclone Narelle, but once they dried out, farmers would have tough decisions to make.

“The price of fertiliser has nearly doubled over the last couple of weeks,” he said.

“They have a limited ability to pass those costs on, but they’ll be making those decisions on whether they sell or not or plant, so that will affect the ability of produce to get to the stores … and that itself can force the price of produce up in the supermarkets.

“This will have an effect on everything that sits at the supermarket.”

McCarthy urged people living in the city to take advantage of 50¢ fares, so farmers could access the fuel they needed.

“It’s a perfect opportunity for those people in urban cities to help out a little bit,” he said.

Anecdotally, people have reported more passengers on public transport, although March patronage figures are not yet available.

However, commuters have been warned to prepare for major rail track closures in south-east Queensland for three weeks, including over Easter, with buses replacing trains.

The world’s energy watchdog has urged workers to stay home where possible, and said cutting speed limits by 10km/h would reduce petrol use by 5 to 10 per cent.

Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said 50¢ fares were fully funded and confirmed they would remain, but did not answer other questions, including whether highway speeds would be reduced.

Labor MP Jonty Bush’s suggestions included working from home when possible, trying a pedal-assisted e-bike, using public transport and keeping cars well serviced.

Fishing companies in Moreton Bay were also dealing with rising fuel costs, particularly diesel, which powers many larger vessels and the industry’s land transport.

Earlier this month, federal member for Fisher Andrew Wallace said fishing businesses at the Mooloolaba wharf were unable to access diesel, and so could not leave port or go fishing.

Qantas was among the airlines to increase fares on international routes, blaming a surge in jet fuel costs.

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