Federal member for Solomon Luke Gosling has said he is lobbying the Federal Government for money for an additional fuel storage facility at East Arm, which he said would provide more competition in the petrol market in the Territory and enhance the nation’s depot capacity.

Mr Gosling said he has been discussing the idea with Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor for a new facility to be located in the Top End, which could make the NT “part of the overall fuel storage plan for our country”.

“Darwin and the Northern Territory should be playing a role in our fuel storage capacity as a nation so we have got more fuel security,” he told Mix 104.9.

“Some of that fuel Angus Taylor purchased on behalf of Australia from the (United) States and he got a good price … can be stored right here on Australian soil in Darwin.

“Groups like NT Airport and the RAAF base and the transport industry would be pretty keen on having more capacity here.

He said funding could come from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility “that’s still got $3 billion plus in it” and also floated the idea of building a pipeline from a new storage facility to both the airport and RAAF base.

“It also drives more competition than we have currently got with just one storage facility currently down at East Arm.”  

Mr Gosling said he had lined up another meeting with Mr Taylor and a group of NT proponents in a bid to secure additional fuel storage facilities at East Arm.

“It’s a much better solution than having all these road trains of fuel doing that trip from East Arm to the airport,” he said.  

“I think (our chances) are pretty good of securing a facility.  

“We’ve got some really good people in the NT industry putting those ideas forward.”  

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