【News Buddy】燃油短缺阻外遊 澳洲民眾駕車難 Global fuel shortage disrupts Easter travel in Australia as people rethink road trips

摘錄自4月5日香港《文匯報》：中東衝突影響全球能源供應，在復活節假期之際，不少國家的民眾出行均受影響。其中澳洲多地燃料短缺，許多民眾被迫改變今年的駕車出遊計劃。澳洲廣播公司（ABC）報道，澳洲政府呼籲計劃駕車長途旅行的民眾，先在城市為私家車入油，避免在鄉郊因燃料短缺影響出行。另一方面，澳洲與新西蘭多地的電動車銷量激增，許多民眾在油價攀升之際，開始考慮電動車這一替代選擇。

A global energy supply disruption triggered by the Middle East conflict has affected travel plans in multiple countries during the Easter holiday, with Australia among the hardest hit. Fuel shortages across several regions have forced many Australians to rethink their traditional road trip plans.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the government has urged motorists planning long-distance travel to refuel in urban areas before departure, warning that fuel shortages in rural regions could disrupt journeys. At the same time, electric vehicle (EV) sales have surged across Australia and New Zealand, as rising fuel prices push consumers to consider alternative options.

復活節是澳洲全年最繁忙出遊的時期，當地市場調查公司Roy Morgan估計，澳洲去年同期全國旅行人數達450萬。不過美國與以色列襲擊伊朗後，霍爾木茲海峽形同被完全封鎖，全球能源供應受阻，許多澳洲人的復活節出遊計劃被打亂。

Easter is typically one of the busiest travel periods in Australia. Market research firm Roy Morgan estimated that 4.5 million Australians traveled during the same period last year. However, following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz has effectively been blocked, disrupting global energy supplies and throwing many Easter travel plans into disarray.

澳洲燃料供應高達約90%來自進口，主要來自新加坡、馬來西亞和韓國等亞洲國家。受全球油價飆升影響，澳洲部分地區上周能源供應一度短缺，當局需調降燃料稅，協助拉低油價。總理阿爾巴尼斯4月1日罕見發表全國講話稱，澳洲油價歷史性攀升，在復活節假期後，當地未來幾個月情況或不樂觀。

Australia relies on imports for around 90% of its fuel, primarily from Asian suppliers including Singapore, Malaysia, and South Korea. Amid surging global oil prices, parts of the country experienced supply shortages last week, prompting authorities to reduce fuel taxes in an effort to ease price pressures.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivered a rare national address on April 1, warning that fuel prices had reached historic highs and that the outlook for the coming months remained uncertain, even beyond the Easter holiday.

澳洲能源部長波溫3日表示，隨着復活節假期開始，澳洲已有數百個加油站的柴油告罄，百多個加油站沒有無鉛汽油供應，「澳洲（目前燃料）短缺大多在鄉間和非大都會區，計劃周末駕車旅行的澳洲民眾，請盡量在城市入油，這會對國家有幫助。」

Energy Minister Chris Bowen stated on April 3 that, as the holiday period began, hundreds of service stations across Australia had run out of diesel, while more than 100 had no unleaded petrol available. He pointed out that most shortages are concentrated in rural and non-metropolitan areas, and motorists planning to travel over the weekend are advised to refuel in cities where possible.

在復活節假期首日，澳洲人口最多的州份新南威爾士州有182個加油站已無柴油、48個加油站無汽油，維多利亞州有76個加油站無柴油、37個無汽油。在南澳河間地區，經營船屋公司的店主坦言因汽油不足影響服務，東主遭顧客辱罵的情況增加，也有加油站員工稱他們被前來入油的司機辱罵，相信是燃料價格上漲，點燃了民眾的怒火。

On the first day of the Easter holiday, New South Wales—the country's most populous state—reported 182 stations without diesel and 48 without petrol. In Victoria, 76 stations ran out of diesel, and 37 lacked petrol. In South Australia's Riverland region, a houseboat operator said fuel shortages had disrupted business operations. Reports of verbal abuse toward station staff have also increased, as rising fuel prices fuel public frustration.

澳洲民眾購買電動汽車的意願明顯增加。在墨爾本一間中國車企比亞迪的車行，前來選購的顧客絡繹不絕，顧客安吉拉表示：「我們其實一直對電動車有興趣，但油價高企真正推動我們採取行動。」

另一名顧客奈傑爾也稱：「我的農場有11輛車，燃油消耗巨大，我考慮安裝一些太陽能電池板，再購入電動車控制開銷。」

Australian consumers are increasingly turning to electric vehicles. At a Melbourne dealership operated by Chinese automaker BYD, customer traffic has surged. One customer said: "We've always been interested in EVs, but high fuel prices have finally pushed us to act." Another buyer noted: "I run a farm with 11 vehicles and high fuel consumption. I'm considering installing solar panels and purchasing EVs to reduce costs."

部分澳洲民眾則開始調整行程。66歲的悉尼退休人士烏卡克以往每年復活節假期都會駕車出遊，今年她和丈夫決定留在家中，節約駕車出遊成本，「我們通常會在復活節假期，與一群朋友駕車，但這次大家都取消了行程。」

Some Australians have opted to cancel or scale back travel plans. A 66-year-old retiree from Sydney said she and her husband decided to stay home this Easter instead of taking their usual road trip with friends, citing rising travel costs.

在鄰國新西蘭，3月汽油和柴油平均價格分別較2月上漲逾30%和74%。新西蘭交通局公布資料顯示，當地電動車銷量已按月增加逾兩倍，從2月的921輛暴增至3月的3,108輛。

In neighboring New Zealand, fuel prices surged sharply in March, with petrol and diesel prices rising by over 30% and 74% respectively compared to February. Data from the New Zealand Transport Agency showed EV sales more than tripled month-on-month, jumping from 921 units in February to 3,108 in March.

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