Headlines: 

• Bowen on refinery fire: “Not good timing”
• Marles lays out Australia’s next defence challenges
• Bank data shows 45% rise in fuel spending
• Unemployment at 4.3%
• NZ Airlines introduces bunk beds
• Jail time for ant-smuggler

Deep Dive: 

Fuel prices were high, and then an oil refinery caught on fire. Australia has two oil refineries and late on Wednesday night one of them sprung a leak that became a half-day fire. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said the blaze at Viva Energy Refinery in Geelong was “not great timing”. But why is Australia reliant on such fragile energy infrastructure?

In this episode of The Briefing, Natarsha Belling is joined by David Leaney, a Lecturer at the ANU College of Business and Economics and expert in international supply chain management.  

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