Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to make the House aware of the dire predicament of just one of the 46 local government authorities across my electorate of O'Connor. Rebecca McCall, CEO of the wheatbelt shire of Narembeen, has shared the results of their recent community survey. The survey confirms a rapidly worsening situation, with farmers, local business, essential workers and residents all reporting growing difficulty securing fuel, sharp price increases and escalating disruption to freight deliveries and essential services. For farmers, this could not come at a worse time. With recent rains, seeding is imminent, and uncertainty around fuel and fertiliser supply places production, productivity and long-term financial viability at risk. Beyond agriculture, there are emerging threats to food supply, health services and emergency response capability, all of which depend on reliable fuel access.

Regional Australians do not have the luxury of alternatives. Fuel is not optional in communities like Narembeen. It is fundamental to keeping people safe, keeping business operating and placing food on the table. The Shire of Narembeen survey highlights the ongoing failure by this federal Labor government to deliver meaningful fuel cost relief and to ensure reliable fuel supplies to regional Australia. Regional communities like mine deserve certainty of supply, fairness in pricing and guaranteed essential service provision—nothing less than their city cousins receive.

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