Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Regional Australia has grown accustomed to copping the brunt of this government's mismanagement, but nowhere is it more dire than the current fuel crisis. Last week I received an urgent plea from Carlie Comer, CEO of trusted community transport provider Linked Community Services in Port Macquarie. Linked transports well over 6,000 clients in my electorate to critical services like GPs and health specialists, as well as providing much needed relief from isolation for those in need, and, in many cases, grateful clients rely on this transport link just to make life worth living. But, right now, up to 70 per cent of those clients are at risk of losing access entirely without immediate intervention in fuel pricing and supply. That's 4½ thousand vulnerable older Australians left isolated and without options in Cowper alone.

With a minister for climate change and energy more concerned with crafting headlines than providing help, it's no wonder that the inboxes of every regional MP are filling up with similar pleas from farmers, freight operators and small businesses legitimately concerned they may be forced out of business as input costs surge and supply guarantees disappear. No farmers means no food. No freight operators means no supplies to the nation. While this government continues to serve up denial, diversion and deflection, regional Australia needs honesty, action and delivery, and they needed it—

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Bendigo has the call.