Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is a government that is serious about protecting consumers in communities like mine in Jagajaga and right around this country. We do understand that, when prices go up, people feel it at the supermarket, in their bills, and at the moment they are feeling it at the petrol pump. At this time of global uncertainty, people in my community do want to know: 'Am I getting a fair go here?' And that is what this legislation is about. It is about a fair go—about making sure Australians are not taken for a ride. We do all understand that global events at the moment are impacting fuel prices. We know that conflict is creating volatility. There is uncertainty in global supply chains, and we are feeling the effects of those here in Australia.

Let's be very clear: what this legislation, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026, is very clear about is that those global pressures are not an excuse for misconduct. They are not an excuse for misleading conduct or price manipulation, and they're certainly not an excuse for big corporations to treat Australian consumers like mugs. That's why the bill doubles penalties for those who do the wrong thing, lifting maximum penalties to $100 million per offence, because, if you're looking to rip off Australians, there should be real consequences for it. I'm certain that in my community people expect nothing less. I really understand that, at the moment, households in my community and others are doing all they can to manage their costs. People are shopping around. They are budgeting carefully. When they are doing this, the least they can expect is that the system is fair and that companies are playing by the rules. That is what we are achieving with this bill.

With the Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026, we are also making sure that hardworking truckies and smaller road transport businesses are not pushed to the brink by severe cost shocks. We know that truck drivers and businesses are a critical part of Australia's daily economy. They are the people ensuring that food and goods are delivered where they're needed, and this government has got their backs. We know that truckies and transport operators need to be protected from fuel price rises, and it is important that costs are shared fairly through the supply chain. This is making sure that the independent Fair Work Commission can act quickly to deal with these issues, as I said, recognising that this is a critical part of Australia's daily economy. The truck drivers, these businesses, are ensuring food and goods are delivered to where they're needed, and, as they're doing it, this government is with them. We have their backs.

This of course builds on action we've already taken. We've heard some posturing from those opposite about how this government has done nothing. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. This government has already increased penalties significantly and strengthened the powers of the ACCC, including expanding petrol price monitoring on-the-spot fines to crack down on bad behaviour. We have appointed a national fuel supply taskforce coordinator. We've begun the release of 20 per cent of Australia's fuel reserves. We've changed petrol standards to get more fuel flowing. So I would invite those opposite to keep up to date. Pay attention.

I do want to be very clear for them: this is a moment. We came in this morning and we saw a stunt from the opposition—not a very well-thought-through stunt, but nevertheless it was in fact a stunt. I think what communities like mine will see from that is that those opposite actually have a disregard for what they are feeling at the moment. Those opposite come in here to pull stunts, but we come in here to do the work for the Australian people. We come in here also knowing their record from when they were in government, which I'm afraid to say was appalling.

They talked tough, but they didn't act for communities like mine and those across the country. They let penalties sit at levels that big corporations could treat as the cost of doing business. They failed to properly empower regulators to crack down on misconduct, and Australians paid the price for that. People in my community paid the price for that. There was less accountability and a growing sense for people that the system just wasn't working in their favour.

Well, that's the difference here. This government wants to ensure that the system works for Australians. We want to make sure that people are getting a fair go. We understand that this is a difficult time and that global events are putting pressures into our system. As a government we take that seriously. We take our responsibility seriously and we are acting.

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