Petrol Sniffing Prevention Program

This web page has been designed to provide up to date information about the Australian Government’s Petrol Sniffing Prevention Program (PSPP).

There are a range of strategies to address petrol sniffing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. These strategies are being implemented by a number of different portfolios. The petrol sniffing prevention activities managed by the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) are known as the Petrol Sniffing Prevention Program.

Elements of the Petrol Sniffing Prevention Program are:

• The provision of subsidised Opal fuel to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, roadhouses, petrol stations and other relevant fuel outlets
• Communication activities, including specific products identified to support the promotion and implementation of the Program and the whole of government approach to petrol sniffing
• Information resources related to petrol sniffing and Opalfuel
• Monitor treatment and respite. These services will be provided in conjunction with the relevant States and Territories
• A data collection system
• An evaluation of the Petrol Sniffing Prevention Program

History of the Petrol Sniffing Prevention Program

The Comgas Scheme, administered by the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH) within the Department of Health and Ageing was implemented to tackle the problem of petrol sniffing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities by replacing petrol with Avgas, (aviation fuel) a type of fuel that did not provide the “high” that petrol produced for a sniffer.

In 2004, BP Australia Pty Ltd, working in conjunction with the Department and the Australian Institute of Petroleum, developed a new fuel for the specific needs of the Program. Unleaded Opal fuel was launched in February 2005 and replaced the supply of Avgas previously supported under the Scheme.

The goals of the strategy are to reduce the incidence and impact of petrol sniffing in a defined area of remote Australia and evaluate the effectiveness of this comprehensive regional response to petrol sniffing.

The East Kimberley has also been identified as a region under the Petrol Sniffing Strategy along with an expansion the Cental Desert Region to incorporate Alice Springs and extending north to just above Ti Tree and west of the Stuart Highway.

Further details on Opal are provided in the attachments below:

• List of roadhouses and services stations where Opal fuel is available (PDF 139 KB) in Alice Springs, South Australia, Western Australia and Northern Territory. This link indicates where Opal fuel can be purchased in place of regular unleaded fuel in passenger vehicles, vans and petrol motor 4WDs.
• Map of roadhouses and service stations where Opal fuel can be purchased in the Central Desert Region (PDF 123 KB)
• Map of Australia of regions where Opal fuel is available (PDF 96 KB). The attached image indicates the regions of Australia where we recommend you use unleaded Opal fuel in your car. This map will be updated as new facilities become available.

If you are unable to access the attachments please email oatsih.enquiries@health.gov.au or phone 02 6289 5291.