Matt Smith (Leichhardt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is a demand issue, unfortunately. The world has changed a little bit in the last six or seven weeks. But I want the constituents of Leichhardt, and the people of Australia, to be reassured. The ships are still arriving. The oil is still here. There are three billion litres of diesel, 1.5 billion litres of petrol and 800 million litres of jet fuel—not needed yet, because the supplies are still coming. Demand has spiked, and it is creating supply-chain issues. We know this; we are working on this.

It is unacceptable to profit off Australians using the excuse of an international crisis—unacceptable. The Treasurer has made that very clear. The people of Australia are making that very clear. This side of the House makes it very clear. I've written, on behalf of my constituents, to the ACCC, to make sure that the Far North is included in any investigations into price-gouging. It is making it harder for our primary producers—particularly in an electorate like mine, which is enormous. But I am confident that we will get through this and we will get through this together.

The cost of living was brought up multiple times—which is ironic, given those opposite have opposed just about every single cost-of-living measure that has been placed before this House, leaving Australian families worse off. They go to an election promising higher taxes and higher deficits, yet then come in here with the gall to say that not enough is being done. We work with Australia. We work with the suppliers. We work with the fuel companies. We get solutions. What we don't have is $600-billion nuclear dreams. Practicality is the answer here: working with the people on the ground, figuring out where the supply lines are choked and working our way through and around that.

When I came to this House, I was excited for my election, excited for what I might be able to achieve for my community, excited to be able to join a place of like-minded people whose ultimate goal is seeing Australia be the absolute best version of itself. I tried to reflect on that yesterday in the Federation Chamber through the words of a young girl, who wrote a speech for me as part of her work experience, pointing to the sacrifice and the dedication, what it takes and what it means to be a representative in this place, a representative of your community, a representative of Australia.

Using fear for political gain is beneath us. We are better than that. Australia is better than that. Our farmers deserve better than that. People in the street deserve better than that. It is absolutely disgraceful. It's beyond countenance. Why spread fear to create a problem that you cannot solve? You're part of it. Now, instead of creating fear, instead of spreading misinformation right across the country and letting things run like wildfire on social media, the option is clear: tell people we have the supplies because it's the truth, not because it helps the political narrative but because it's the truth. Tell them that the fuel is in Australia, because it's the truth. Everything's bigger in Texas, but it doesn't help you from there. It's a long way away. The fuel is here now. Eighteen ships have arrived in the last month and 35 are on their way. The amount of fuel that was here in January is here now. This is not a supply issue. The sooner we get that message out, the demand will begin to reduce and prices will begin to reduce as well.

We are in a world where the order is changing. We know that there are now pressures because of the conflict in the Middle East that are beyond our control. What we can control is the narrative. What we can control is the truth. And when we decide not to do that, we let down our constituents, we let down the honour of this chamber and we let down Australia. Every single person in this country deserves better than that. Fear is not a weapon to be used for politics.

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