Alison Penfold (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

How is the government expecting Australians to cope with these high fuel prices when so many are battling to deal with Australia's homegrown inflation? From around $1.80 per litre on Wednesday, it has soared by 40c a litre or more across the electorate in recent days. Businesses and farmers who purchase bulk diesel and petrol in the wholesale market, such as the hardwood timber industry, are today being charged $2.65 per litre, a 70 per cent rise in pain at the pump, which will be felt through to the cash register.

Besides the price rises, we must also recognise the critical need to maintain adequate supplies of fuel to our farming, timber, mining and transport sectors across regional and rural Australia, where there are reports that fuel is not getting through the supply chain. We can't produce food and we can't transport our everyday living and business requirements without fuel. This points to the critical need to improve fuel security. We cannot rely on a just-in-time approach and a 30-day reserve of diesel.

When last in government, the coalition legislated the Fuel Security Act 2021, which included a baseline level of diesel stock holdings, support to ensure our sovereign refining capacity and a diesel storage program. The measures are there to be used, and we should be able to be assured that they have been used. Australians are hurting badly. They need answers and relief today.

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