Phillip Thompson (Herbert, Liberal National Party, Shadow Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Hansard source

We are seeing Mad Max levels around the country right now. Farmers' fuel is being stolen; their fuel drums are being drilled and drained. And what is this Labor minister doing? Nothing! When Labor's Minister Chris Bowen was the immigration minister, he couldn't turn a boat back, but now, as the energy minister, he has somehow been able to turn back six ships full of fuel that Australians desperately need. It's quite remarkable. People can't afford to fuel up their cars to drive to school, to work or to sporting events, because of this Labor minister's inaction and the gaslighting from the Prime Minister.

Parents are going to have tough conversations, coming up to Easter, about the travel that they can't afford to go on, about the extra Easter eggs that they won't be able to get at the supermarket because the trucks can't deliver them. The Easter bunny is going to have his work cut out for him because this government is not doing anything to lower the fuel prices. If you can't fill up your car, you can't go to the shop. If you can't fill up your car, you can't get the supplies that you need.

Australians need a government that acts, explains and leads. Right now, all they're getting is deflection. This prime minister and this Labor energy minister should be marching in here—not worrying about what the opposition is doing—and explaining to the Australian people what they're going to do to fix this fuel crisis.

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