Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Our government, the Albanese government, has introduced new legislation to help consumers get a fair go at the petrol pump, with bigger penalties for misconduct, including in the fuel sector. The conflict, the war currently overseas, shouldn't be an excuse for profiteering from Australians. We have to support our truckies, and we won't cop big corporates treating Australian consumers like mugs. The Albanese government is helping Australia's trucking industry manage the impacts of the war in the Middle East, ensuring truckies and transport operators are better protected from fuel price rises. We want to change the law so that the Fair Work Commission can demand that companies pay truckies fairly when fuel prices spike. With global uncertainty leading to significant impacts on our transport industry, our government is taking practical action to support the truckies and transport operators who keep the Australian economy moving.

The government will amend the Fair Work Act to allow truckies and road transport businesses to make an emergency application for a contract chain order to deal with the current spike in fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East, and, under the Fair Work Act, the Fair Work Commission can require transport clients, including retailers, mining companies and manufacturers, to offer fair contract terms, ensuring that truckies and transport operators are paid enough to cover the cost of fuel. Currently, a minimum of six months is required for a contract chain order, and our amendment will remove that wait time, so truckies and transport operators aren't left to worry about managing rising costs on their own.

I want to provide some context on the importance of retailers, wholesalers and everyone doing the right thing. Louise Bilato, Executive Officer of the Northern Territory Road Transport Association, said:

A sizeable portion of the NT's road transport fleet is comprised of owner-drivers and small trucking businesses.

These family businesses are already experiencing financial strain and their financial circumstances will worsen in the next month as they are forced to pay exorbitant prices for diesel.

There is a high likelihood that some transport operators will be forced into administration or bankruptcy—

without the sort of action that is required to make sure that people are doing the right thing.

We're calling on the Liberals and Nationals to vote for this bill that will legislate higher penalties for petrol companies that do the wrong thing by transport operators and by all Australians. This is on top of all the other action we're taking to address fuel affordability and security. We have introduced new laws to double penalties for petrol companies that are price gouging, which this bill has been discussing as well. We've begun the release of 20 per cent of Australia's fuel reserves. We've changed petrol standards temporarily to get more fuel flowing and changed diesel standards so Australia's refineries can supply more diesel. We've tasked the ACCC to ramp up fuel price monitoring and issue on-the-spot fines. We've engaged with international partners to keep supply flowing. We've convened the National Cabinet with states and territories. We've appointed a national fuel supply taskforce coordinator. We've engaged with the states and territories on supply and distribution, including holding a special energy ministers meeting; activating the National Coordination Mechanism, which has already met twice; and convening the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee six times. We're also unlocking $2 million in financial counselling funding for impacted farmers and changing the law in order to make it easier for Australia's refineries to access government funding when they run at a loss.

When it comes to our fairer fuel bill and doubling penalties for ACCC enforcement, it is essential that, in order to support our trucking companies and in order to support everyday Territorians and everyday Aussies, these companies are held to account, and maximising the fines will provide an effective disincentive. Despite what some opposite have said, there have been huge fines handed out to petrol companies that have done the wrong thing, and that will continue and be much harsher now.

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