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

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. A potato farmer in Manjimup, Dom, texted me: 'I rang up Fuels West to order some fuel yesterday. They told me they have no fuel and a three-week waiting list for deliveries. I have 10 days fuel left. After that, you won't be eating my spuds.' Last week the minister said our fuel supplies were in good shape. Can the minister assure Dom, Transwest Fuels and Bartranz Petroleum they will get the fuel they need?

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable gentleman for his question. It is the case that there can be real pressures on regional supply of diesel while our national fuel supply is in very good shape, which is the point the government has been making and which, frankly, we should all make. There's an obligation on all of us, and the Leader of the Nationals has been, to his credit, saying that we do have good supply of petrol and diesel and jet fuel to Australia, and there is no need for panic-buying.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Herbert is now warned.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is the massive spikes in demand we are seeing which are causing supply chain constraints—not an interruption of shipping to Australia, that has not yet occurred. We're alive to the risks, but that has not occurred at this point, and we have very strong minimum stock obligation holdings.

Opposition members interjecting—

Honourable members opposite interject 'What are you doing about it?' Maybe there's a constructive idea coming.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order?

Dan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It goes to direct relevance. He was asked a very simple question: can you assure Dom and the other petroleum providers that they will get the—

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Resume your seat. There was a lot in that question regarding the person involved, and the minister was asked the question about assuring the individual they will get the fuel that they need. I think the minister was about to outline what he is doing regarding those assurances, so I'm just going to make sure that part of the question is being directly relevant, but the manager was correct to raise that point of order. We're just going to make sure the minister is correct as well in being directly relevant, not talking about any other alternative policies, because he wasn't asked about alternative policies.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Absolutely, Mr Speaker. It's difficult to talk about alternative policies when there aren't any, because the constructive ideas that have come forward so far are requiring service stations to fill in more forms.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

Chris Bowen (McMahon, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we will continue to do is work with the sector. The group that we convene today will continue to convene weekly, which was the rhythm of meetings that was suggested by the peak groups that would be helpful to them. They know that they can contact any minister, including myself, at any time if there are any issues that they need our help to deal with. We'll also continue to convene the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee, which every government—including Queensland—is represented on. The Deputy Premier of Queensland might want to acquaint himself with the fact that his officials have been involved in every meeting, and his officials agreed that the level of alert should be the lowest of the six possible when it comes to international petrol supply. Either the Deputy Premier doesn't know that, which is his negligence, or he is choosing to deliberately mislead the people of Queensland and, in effect, encourage panic buying, which means he is behaving abominably and irresponsibly.