Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How much more can Australian families and small businesses take? Across my electorate of Lindsay and throughout Western Sydney, the message I hear every single day is that people are at breaking point. Families who work hard, pay their taxes and play by the rules are watching the cost of living spiral further out of reach under this Albanese Labor government.

Western Sydney is the engine room of our economy. It is home to millions of Australians, hundreds of thousands of families and nearly a third of businesses in New South Wales. Yet, it is also where the cost-of-living crisis is hitting hardest. Unlike in the inner city, people in Western Sydney rely on their cars. Parents drive to work, to school drop-offs, to sport on the weekend and to multiple jobs just to make ends meet. When petrol prices surge, it hits household budgets immediately. But the impact of rising costs does not stop at the petrol pump. It flows through every part of the local economy, pushing up prices for everyday Australians.

Local business NRS Security has told me that with fuel prices skyrocketing, the cost of running patrol vehicles is becoming unsustainable. If fuel prices keep rising, they'll be forced to scale back vehicle patrols simply to survive. That means increased risk for local businesses already doing it tough. It is another example of how rising costs ripple out and affect entire communities.

Small trade businesses are feeling the same pressure. Local plumber Aaron has three service trucks on the road. Because of rising fuel prices and fuel shortages, he's already taken one off. For years, Aaron offered free call-outs and investigations to help customers understand their plumbing issues before committing to a job, but he told me he can no longer afford to do that. The cost of simply getting a truck to a home has become too high. One of his suppliers has doubled their delivery fee overnight, from $15 to $30. Aaron now has no choice but to pass some of those costs on. And who ultimately pays the price? Hardworking mums and dads who are already struggling with their own rising household bills.

A Western Sydney transport company has advised their fuel supplier has begun rationing fuel. If they need 10,000 litres they may only receive 2,000. Since last Sunday the cost of fuel has risen by 70c a litre, with another 16c added just yesterday. We will also start to see another worrying consequence of soaring fuel prices: the rise of fuel theft. We will see this not just at petrol stations, where drivers fail to pay, but also from trucks and equipment at construction sites. For businesses already struggling with rising costs, this is yet another hit they simply can't afford.

Right now, families are hurting. Small businesses are under pressure. Under this Albanese Labor government, the pain at the petrol pump and across the country is very real.