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Mar
Canberra, March 20 (IANS) The Australian government has struck a deal to continue subsidising the country's two remaining oil refineries, Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced on Friday. Bowen said that the government and the operators of the two refineries have reached an agreement to amend the fuel security services payment, under which the government pays the refineries when oil prices do not cover operating costs. Viva Energy's refinery southwest of Melbourne in the city of Geelong and Ampol's refinery in Brisbane produced about 20 percent of Australia's petrol, diesel and jet fuel needs in 2025. Bowen said that the payment…