Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Hansard source

I very much thank the member for Macarthur, and I know he won't mind me saying this, but I know he's a very proud dad of his son, who I first met on the Western Sydney airport construction site. He's a great construction worker. I understand he's now working on the M6, another terrific project for Western Sydney, so I do want to shout out to him.

We have been working really closely with the transport and fuel industries to make sure we're all working off the same information and tackling challenges as they arise. This morning, the Treasurer, alongside the Minister for Small Business and the assistant minister, announced that the ATO will provide temporary relief to businesses unable to meet their tax obligations. We're also making it easier and faster for small businesses to access credit and working with banks on options for loan deferrals and other supports for customers doing it tough. I spoke last week with Tim, one of my local freight owners in Ballarat, and he told me these—amongst the fuel, excise and road user charges—were very much needed.

They are happening alongside our temporary three-month halving of fuel excise and reducing the heavy road user charge to zero for three months. This will reduce the cost of moving essential goods across the country, taking pressure off every part of our supply chain. That helps Australians as they do the weekly grocery shop, visit Bunnings or make purchases from a local small business, and they've been welcomed by industry. This morning, I spoke with the Australian Trucking Association, who told us these changes will really help road freight operators feeling the pinch of high fuel prices. Road Freight NSW said it provided immediate and meaningful relief to operators, and the Australian retail sector has called the measures critical for retailers facing increased freight and shipping costs.

This, of course, builds on the work that we've already done: releasing 20 per cent of the minimum stockholding obligation; underwriting additional cargo so we can get more fuel, fertiliser and other essential goods into Australia; amending the fuel standards for petrol and diesel to allow more supply into the market; strengthening the ACCC's hand in doubling penalties for companies found guilty of unfairly rising fuel prices; changing the Fair Work Act so transport operators in particular can renegotiate their contracts quickly to help cover rising fuel costs; and working with our regional partners, whether it's Singapore or Korea, to shore up supply, strengthen energy security and support the flow of essential goods. These are just some of the practical actions this government has taken within this week alone.

From peak bodies to unions and to small operators, we have been taking these actions because they have told us that they are vital and urgent. Meanwhile, we see from the coalition's leaked talking points that they are being instructed to tell Australians that—despite that we do have a clear plan, they're going to pretend that there's no plan, and, despite our work to secure fuel supply, they're out there heightening fears within the community. There is no leadership from the Leader of the Opposition.

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