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

I rise today to condemn this government's failure to guarantee access to fuel for all Australians. Constituents of my regional electorate are contacting me in droves as fuel dries up for their businesses—livestock farmers who need to truck cattle and sheep to market, grain growers preparing paddocks for seeding, southern forests horticulturists who need diesel for their irrigation systems and tractors, transporters who need to take their produce to market and our Great Southern fishermen and fish processors, who are struggling to save their livelihoods under the WA Labor government's demersal fishing ban. Despite Minister Bowen's assurances that there is plenty of fuel in the country, big wholesalers are rationing fuel, regional servos are running dry and regional industries are being brought to a standstill.

Bulk distributors are in crisis too. Eagle Petroleum, Kalgoorlie, have advised they cannot guarantee supply to seven Goldfields service stations beyond this weekend. Meanwhile, it appears the big four fuel companies have plenty of fuel for city bowsers. Minister Bowen is gaslighting regional Australians when he implies that we are hoarding fuel. Minister Bowen, is it not the major wholesalers who are doing the hoarding while the small independents and our regional economies starve for fuel?

This government has the tools to safeguard supply for those that produce food and fibre for our nation. What it lacks is the courage to act.