Free petrol bonanza in Australia as Lebanon elects president

Lebanon has had to wait for over two years for the election of a President. But Monday finally saw the election of Michel Aoun, a former army general and leader of Lebanon’s largest Christian political party to fill the presidential void left following the end of Michel Sleiman’s tenure in May 2014.

Aoun is a polarising figure and many Lebanese, both within the country and in diaspora communities, have expressed reservations and even outright criticism at the election of the former army general, who is politically aligned with Hizballah.

However, the Lebanese owners of one petrol station in Sydney, Australia appeared over-joyed by Aoun’s election, so much so that they have offered free petrol to disbelieving customers.

On Wednesday, the Punchbowl Servo, located in the Punchbowl district of South Sydney, provided fuel top ups free of charge for a period of half an hour between 12 and 12:30 pm, advertising the initiative with a large placard depicting an earnest Aoun in suit and tie, photo-shopped next to a Lebanese flag, offset by a garish orange background – the chosen colour of Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement.

Reporting on the event, Australian TV network Channel 7 described the event as a “dream come true” for local residents. Aoun’s election for many has served as a reminder of the prevailing strangle-hold the country’s civil era warlords maintain over Lebanese politics, but at least for Aoun, who has long coveted the presidency, his election as head of state is also fuelling some euphoria...literally.