This paper outlines the Australian Logistics Council’s position that Australia’s current diesel fuel prioritisation framework, while effective in identifying essential users, fails to account for the critical role of distribution systems in actually delivering fuel during disruptions. It argues that diesel underpins nearly all supply chains and economic activity, yet the system that moves it is tightly constrained, diesel-dependent, and vulnerable to disruption—meaning supply can exist without reaching end users. Drawing on real-world examples such as flood events, the paper highlights that distribution capacity, not fuel availability, is often the limiting factor. As a result, the ALC recommends shifting policy from a user-based model to a system-function approach, prioritising fuel distribution, freight networks, and access infrastructure alongside essential services to ensure continuity, resilience, and effective delivery during emergencies.