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

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. This morning the minister said:

We have as much fuel in Australia today as we had on the day Iran was attacked.

How many service stations have to be out of fuel before the minister will use his powers to require mandated reporting of disruption and the immediate domestic redistribution of stock to where it is needed?

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

I did make that comment because it's accurate, and that is the position the government has been communicating consistently to the Australian people because the responsible thing to do is to provide the facts to the Australian people—that the ships continue to arrive and that the refineries continue to work full pelt for Australians. As we have said from the very beginning, that does not mean there aren't real shortages in rural Australia in particular and that the supply chain has not struggled when demand doubles. And that has always been the case.

Now, the honourable member asked me why I won't use more information-gathering powers. It does strike me that, to use those powers, we would need to use the legislation that the Treasurer put through the parliament and the member for Wannon and everyone else over there opposed. It reminds me of the demand that the House return to pass hate legislation, then voting against it and then voting against other legislation and demanding we use it.

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

The member for Maranoa has interjected too many times, so I'll be keeping an eye on him.

Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy. How is the Albanese government acting to get more fuel flowing to where it's needed, and why is now a time for our representatives to act within the national interest?

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

I thank my honourable friend for the question. I think this is his first question since returning from paternity leave, so welcome back and congratulations. I'm very pleased to update the honourable member and the House, and I'll update the House primarily, firstly, on two things. As the House knows, we released 20 per cent of our minimum stock obligation on the condition that it flows to rural and regional Australia. We have struck agreements with each company that's impacted. We have been in discussions with those companies and required them to provide real and quantifiable undertakings that it flow to regional Australia. I'm pleased to inform the House that, overnight, two more agreements were struck, and now 757 million litres is flowing to regional Australia as a result of the release of the minimum-stock obligation. With real obligations to supply regional states and territories across the country, that's what real action looks like.

I'm also happy to inform the House—the Prime Minister's informed the house of his interactions, of the Foreign minister's interactions and of my interactions with our foreign counterparts to ensure ongoing supply. We know that, because we have only two refineries operating in Australia, we do rely on imports when it comes to liquid fuels. That is the case because we did see the de-industrialization of refining over previous years. I previously have informed the House that we were aware that, out of the 81 expected ship arrivals over April, there were six cancellations. I do have an important update. I can tell the House that—

Henry Pike (Bowman, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Stop the boats!

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

They obviously think this is very funny. The Liberals and the Nationals appear uninterested in the fact that all six of those cancellations have now been filled with new alternative orders. All of them have now been replaced with alternative spot market orders from different locations. I'm also pleased to tell the House that industry has informed me this morning that, in addition to replacing those six cancelled boats, they have been able to secure at least three more cargo deliveries for April and May for Australia over and above the normal contracted deliveries to ensure that we are dealing with this demand. This is good progress.

Now, what these actions have in common is practical action by government and industry working together, none of them suggested by the opposition, who haven't made a constructive suggestion all through. The only contribution of the Leader of the Opposition has been the mislead about exports. The only contribution of the member for Lindsay has been to mislead the House about a statement by the Premier of New South Wales yesterday, and the only contribution of the member for Wannon is to insult Pacific leaders.

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

Order! The minister will pause. The member for Canning on a point of order?

Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Sovereign Capability) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There was nothing in the question about the opposition or risks or alternative approaches, so I just ask that you bring the minister back to the question, unless he's done. It sounds like he's done. Are you done?

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

Resume your seat. The Minister for Social Services will cease interjecting.

Order! The Leader of the Nationals in the House of Representatives will also cease interjecting. The Leader of the House.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

To the point of order, the final part of the question went specifically to representatives needing to act in the national interest, which is precisely the point regarding the opposition that the minister is now making.

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

The minister is going to be asked about why is it required in the national interest? He's going to explain to the House why that is. That is almost an abuse of the point of order—to the member for Canning. So if this continues, I'll start what I did last week. If this continues—people jumping up because you don't like what's being said and it's not part of the standing orders—I won't take the point of order. So, if this continues, I'm just giving fair warning to the House, like I did last time, if there are frivolous points of order, they won't be taken. I like to be crystal clear with everyone how things roll here, and that will be the decision. The minister has 12 seconds remaining.

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

The only contribution of the member for Wannon has been to insult Pacific leaders by saying I should tell them I'm too important to meet with them. And the only contribution of the member for Canning has been to mislead about net zero. Serious times call for serious people. These are not serious people. (Time expired)