Claire Clutterham (Sturt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

What we are dealing with right now is global in nature and scale but is being felt domestically right here at home. The war in the Middle East is seriously impacting supply chains and pushing up the cost of fuel around the world. Australia is not immune to that volatility, and we know that higher fuel prices are putting real pressure on households, small businesses, farmers and transport workers across the country. We recognise that, and that is exactly why the Albanese Labor government is taking decisive, coordinated action.

At the centre of that response is protecting consumers from being ripped off. So we've introduced the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill, which operates to double penalties for serious misconduct, lifting maximum penalties for false or misleading conduct to $100 million per offence. Let me be clear: the conflict overseas is not an excuse to profit from Australians, so we're putting the fuel sector on notice. We will not accept big corporates treating Australian motorists unfairly, and that's why we're empowering the ACCC to ramp up fuel price monitoring and issue on-the-spot fines. We are calling on those opposite to support this legislation and stand with Australian consumers.

But accountability is only one part of the picture. The government is also taking strong action to secure fuel supply during a period of global instability. The Prime Minister convened national cabinet to deliver a truly national response, so states and territories can distribute fuel to where it's needed most, particularly regional Australia, while the Commonwealth focuses on supply. We've appointed a national Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator. We've begun releasing 20 per cent of Australia's fuel reserves, courtesy of our minimum stockholding obligation. We've changed petrol and diesel standards to get more fuel flowing quickly, and we've backed Australia's oil refineries so they can keep producing fuel here at home. We've made sure that all the fuel we are making in Australia is used in Australia, and we're engaging closely with our international trading partners to keep supply chains open.

This coordinated national leadership began when this war began, and Australia was better prepared because we had already strengthened our fuel security settings. We will continue to act in the national interest because delivering for Australians is our priority. But these global events also point to a bigger truth. Every global fuel shock reminds us why Australia must become less reliant on imported fuels that are vulnerable to conflict and international volatility. The long-term answer to that is energy self-resilience. That means continuing the transition to cleaner, more secure energy made here in Australia—renewables, electrification, batteries and cleaner fuels that reduce exposure to global shocks and put downward pressure on costs over time.

This includes sustainable aviation fuel, which has an important role to play in decarbonising aviation, whilst strengthening fuel security. In a world of fuel shocks and price spikes, sustainable aviation fuel is no longer just an environmental choice; it's an increasingly economic proposition. In my role as chair of Parliamentary Friends of Aviation, I recently attended the GreenSkies sustainability summit at Qantas headquarters in Sydney. That summit brought together leaders from the aviation industry, businesses and academia, all focused on the future of sustainable aviation. A clear message came through: the aviation sector sees the benefit of sustainable aviation fuel and is already moving in that direction. Discussions focused on scaling up research and development, building domestic capability, and on the importance of strong partnerships between government, industry and universities to turn innovation into reality, at the same time as reducing the costs of production and all costs throughout the supply chain, which is critical if sustainable aviation fuel is to be feasible. Importantly, industry understands that decarbonisation and economic growth go hand in hand. Sustainable aviation fuel supports regional connectivity, national productivity and supply resilience, while reducing emissions and reliance on imported fuel.

This is exactly what a future made in Australia looks like—more energy and manufacturing sovereignty, stronger industries and a more resilient economy. This is an Albanese Labor government key priority.

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