Mary Aldred (Monash, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I represent a region that the rest of Australia relies on for food, water and power, and our region relies on secure and affordable fuel to do that. Right now we are running out. Australia is the only country member of the International Energy Agency not to meet its agreed standards for fuel reserves. Australia sits at 47 days for oil reserves. New Zealand sits at 95 days, Spain at 96 and the UK at 120. France, Germany and Japan are respectively at 122, 130 and 206 days. The Netherlands is at 413.

This government has been in office for four years. Fire loves kindling like this Prime Minister loves to blame others. You can see him light up blaming inflation, the RBA and previous governments, doing anything other than accept responsibility. I asked a question in question time this week: what is the government's plan to fix this crisis? The Prime Minister was so busy scowling and sniping at me while I outlined how bad things were in my region, he wasn't listening. So let me say it again, because I've just gotten off the phone from a fuel supplier in my electorate: they've been put on rations, reducing their supply by 30 per cent, so they've had to ration our local community and prioritise farmers and truck drivers. Australia needs a real leader with a real plan and all we've got is a brawler who passes the buck.

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