With petrol prices already surging across Australia, photos of service stations displaying a staggering $9.99 per litre sparked alarm online – but the eye-watering figures aren’t what they seem.
Images and videos shared widely on social media show price boards reading ‘999.9’, with many Aussies fearing the fuel crisis had taken another dramatic turn.
‘This is getting ridiculous,’ one person said alongside a photo of an Ampol station, showing $9.99 per litre for E10, Unleaded, 95 and Diesel.
‘Remortgage your house to fill your car,’ a person replied.
Another joked: ‘Congrats! that’ll get you enough fuel to get to the next servo.’
However, many were quick to point out the ‘999.9’ price is caused by service stations as a placeholder to signal that a particular fuel type is unavailable – rather than an actual price.
‘This is one of the ways a station will signify that they’re out of that fuel type, [because] if the lights go out, people assume they’re closed,’ an ex-service station worker noted.
Another person said: ‘Pretty sure this means they have no fuel left.’
Some service stations around the country have caused alarm while displaying ‘999.9’ prices
However many have pointed out the numbers signal that they’ve ran out of that fuel type
Others questioned if fuel prices would ever reach close to that level.
‘Wonder how soon 999.9 will stop meaning “out of fuel” or “closed” and just be the actual price haha,’ a person said.
A second person replied: ‘I wouldn’t be mocking this, this is barely even [an] exaggeration.’
Another questioned why the service stations don’t just put out a sold out sign to display they were out of fuel.
‘I think it is silly to not just have a sold out sign and leave the fuel lights off to save energy to begin with,’ the person said.
It comes as Australia’s fuel crisis ramps up into its third week.
As of 6am on Monday, 923 service stations across Australia are without at least one type of fuel.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet with state and territory leaders at a national cabinet meeting on Monday to discuss emergency measures, including tougher transparency at the bowser, potential changes to work‑from‑home arrangements and renewed calls for relief at the pump.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) will meet with state and territory leaders on Monday
He has already ruled out enforced restrictions on Australians’ movements or limits on fuel use, despite growing political pressure for decisive federal intervention.
Instead, the government is more focused on supply measures to ‘keep Australians moving’.
‘We will get through this. We are not going down the path of Covid‑style mandated demand management measures,’ Albanese told the Sunday Telegraph.
‘We want to keep our nation moving and Australians moving. I am looking forward to a productive discussion with state and territory leaders on Monday.’
A temporary cut to the fuel excise and the introduction of a national petrol price tracker are also expected to dominate discussions.
The Opposition has already staked its position, calling on Friday for the excise to be halved for three months, a move it says would slash prices by around 26 cents a litre.
But Albanese cautioned against rushed decisions.
‘Any measures we agree to take will be nationally considered and very carefully thought through,’ he said.
Over the weekend, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan announced all public transport, including Melbourne trains, trams and buses, as well as regional trains, coaches and buses, will be free from Tuesday, March 31 until Thursday, April 30.
Tasmanian counterpart Jeremy Rockcliff also announced free travel on buses and ferries from March 30 until July 1.
