Strategic Reserve
Helping secure critical supplies for Australia’s economy.
Get in touch to find out moreFinancing the additional supply of strategic materials
At Export Finance Australia, we can now provide finance to support Australia’s long-term economic security and resilience.
As of April 2026, we are supporting the delivery of the Government’s Strategic Reserve by financing supplies of strategic materials. This includes fuel, critical minerals and other goods that may be at risk due to supply chain disruptions.
Our role is to enable and support activities that secure, or are intended to secure, a reliable supply of these materials in line with Australia’s national and economic security interests.
Strategic materials
Under the Strategic Reserve, strategic materials include:
Fuels
Essential fuels that support Australia’s economy and may be vulnerable to global supply disruptions.
Critical minerals
Minerals identified on Australia’s Critical Minerals List as essential to the economy and at risk of supply disruption.
Fertiliser
Fertilisers for Australian use and identified as vulnerable to global supply disruptions.
The Australian Government’s Strategic Reserve
In April 2026, the Australian Government strengthened our ability to support Australia’s long-term economic resilience. Our Strategic Reserve function allows us to support the supply of strategic materials vital to Australia’s economy where global markets are volatile, or supply chains are disrupted.
Under our Reserve powers, we are able to provide finance to support the delivery of the Strategic Reserve objectives, including to secure, sell and selectively stockpile fuel, critical minerals, and other materials, goods, or things that may be imported into Australia, or could be produced in Australia, and are experiencing, or are vulnerable to experiencing, supply chain disruptions, to ensure domestic availability as and when directed by the Government.
Australia's fuel security
The Australian Government has taken measures to shield Australians from global fuel supply disruptions. This includes our Reserve Powers to underwrite fuel purchases from international markets, enabling the Government to work directly with suppliers to keep fuel flowing to Australian homes, farms, and businesses.
Under the Strategic Reserve, our support will prioritise transactions for additional fuel supply where gaps or shortages exist as an immediate priority. It will not replace or subsidise fuel that importers are already contracted to supply.
Businesses involved in the importation of fuel may be eligible for support. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) acts as the initial point of contact.
Access more information, including the measures currently in place supporting Australia’s fuel security here.
Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve
The $1.2 billion Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve will support Australian critical minerals mining and processing projects, create jobs and will secure the supply of key minerals vital for Australia’s economy, national security and Future Made in Australia ambitions.
The first minerals to be the focus of the Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve are antimony, gallium and rare earth elements, which are crucial for clean-energy and high-technology manufacturing as well as advanced military equipment.
Australian businesses involved in the extraction, processing and supply of antimony, gallium or rare earths may be eligible for support. The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) acts as the initial point of contact.
Access more information on the Government’s Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve here.
Learn more about how we support Australian critical minerals projects and the Critical Minerals Facility here.
Fertiliser
The Australian Government has identified fertiliser as experiencing supply chain disruption and eligible for our Reserve Powers. This enables the Government to work directly with importers to secure fertiliser cargoes for Australia.
The Government has established a new Fertiliser Supply Working Group which will include representatives from key government agencies and industry organisations Fertilizer Australia and the National Farmers Federation.
This new Working Group builds on work already underway by Government and industry to improve the availability of fertiliser including:
- amending legislation to underwrite the purchase of fuel and fertiliser by the private sector
- working with the ACCC to monitor and coordinate fertiliser supply
- Government and industry jointly engaging with alternative suppliers of fertiliser.
Businesses involved in the importation of priority fertilisers may be eligible for our support through the Strategic Reserve. The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry acts as the initial point of contact here.
Our considerations
When assessing a Strategic Reserve transaction, we consider the following:
Strategic material
Meets the defined criteria for inclusion under the Strategic Reserve.
Standards
Meets our social and environmental due diligence requirements.
Governance
Procurement and project governance arrangements are robust and appropriate.
Speak to our team to learn more
For more information about how we could support your project, contact us on 1800 093 724 or complete the form below and we’ll be in touch.
All media enquiries should be directed to media@exportfinance.gov.au.
Strategic Reserve FAQs
The Strategic Reserve was established to help ensure Australia’s preparedness to address supply chain disruption of materials, goods or things, including fuel and other commodities, as a result of market volatility and geopolitical events. Critical minerals are also captured as strategic materials under the Strategic Reserve.
It is a Strategic Reserve of materials vital for Australia’s economy, fuel security, supply chain resilience, national security and Future Made in Australia ambitions.
Strategic Reserve support is available to eligible Australian businesses and project proponents involved in the supply, processing, transport or storage of strategic materials, including fuel and critical minerals, where those materials are deemed nationally important and vulnerable to supply disruption.
Access is not open‑ended and is limited to transactions that:
- meet eligibility and risk criteria
- demonstrate clear national benefit
- align with Government objectives.
All proposals are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Depending on the circumstances, we may be able to provide access to a range of financial and risk‑management tools, including:
- loans, guarantees and equity
- insurance and risk‑mitigation mechanisms
- offtake agreements (fixed or floating price)
- forward contracts and supply aggregation
- contracts‑for‑difference (price floors and ceilings)
- selective support for physical stockpiling.
For fuel‑related Strategic Reserve support, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) acts as the initial point of contact for enquiries from proponents.
For fertiliser-related Strategic Reserve support, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) acts as the initial point of contact for enquiries from proponents.
For critical minerals and other general Strategic Reserve matters, the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) acts as the initial point of contact for enquiries from proponents.
We can direct businesses that may be eligible under the scheme to the relevant departments and will work closely with departments to confirm eligibility and prioritise proposals before engaging directly with the proponent.
Proposals will be assessed against our standard due diligence process including environment, social and financial assessments, credit, risk and legal approvals and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
Under the Reserve powers, we can support additional fuel supply, as directed by the Government. This is intended to address gaps or shortages in fuel supply and does not replace fuel already contracted by importers.
The Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve will secure the supply of select critical minerals for Australia and our key international partners.
It will support strategically important critical minerals projects where private finance is not available due to volatile markets. This will help:
- address supply chain vulnerabilities
- mitigate against market distortions
- build a sustainable domestic industry.
Visit the Department of Industry, Science and Resources for more information here.
As part of the Strategic Reserve, Australian businesses and project proponents involved in the importation of fertiliser may be eligible for our support.
For fertiliser-related Strategic Reserve support, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) acts as the initial point of contact for enquiries.
As Australia’s export credit agency, we have deep experience in deploying strategic finance to deliver on government priorities.
We are the only specialist direct investment vehicle with an international mandate and are responsible for administering the Government’s National Interest Account.
On 1 April 2026, the Parliament of Australia passed the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Strategic Reserve) Bill 2026.
The amendments established the Strategic Reserve and provided us with new functions and tools to deliver the Reserve’s objectives. The Reserve powers enable us to engage in, encourage and facilitate eligible activities that secure, or are intended to secure, a supply of strategic materials in support of Australia’s national and economic security interests.
Transactions under the Reserve powers are restricted to the Government’s National Interest Account administered by us.