Fifty Years of Oil Shock Warnings, and We Built More Motorways

SMH · Paul Sakkal · Sunday 22 March 2026

Fifty Years of Oil Shock Warnings, and We Built More Motorways

The International Energy Agency has urged countries including Australia to adopt emergency measures — remote work, flight reductions, lower speed limits — to prepare for a potential oil supply disruption, while the Albanese government plays down the threat.

Fifty years since the first oil shock and Australia's strategic response has been to pour more bitumen. The IEA says work from home and slow down; Canberra says she'll be right, then approves another freeway interchange. We didn't ignore the warnings — we paved over them. Every motorway ribbon-cutting since 1973 was a bet that the supply would never stop, placed by governments who won't be around to settle the tab.

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