Henry Pike (Bowman, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Hansard source

I have 12,000 residents in my electorate who live on islands in Moreton Bay that are only connected to the mainland via ferry and barge services. They face many of the same challenges that we see in regional communities across Australia. They're already struggling with the highest level of inflation that we're seeing of any advanced economy. They have already experienced the largest decline in living standards of any OECD nation. And of course, they've been refused regional status for infrastructure funding from this government, something they enjoyed under a previous coalition government. But the fuel crisis is hitting them particularly hard.

This morning at Russell Island, unleaded 91 was selling at $3 a litre. It's been that over the course of the last week. A ferry operator told me that the diesel bulk price has nearly doubled since the crisis began, and this operation is purchasing 6,000 litres of diesel every few days. I've mapped these vulnerabilities and I've met with the minister for energy. I've talked to the minister for energy about them and I thank him for that engagement. But this government has been on the back foot of this crisis since day one. This government had weakened the economy before we even got in here. They have been slow to respond to this crisis. They have absolutely lost control, and my island and mainland communities are paying the price for that. They have no plan to respond to this crisis and Australians are paying the price for their incompetence.

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