Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Prime Minister, Australians are hurting. Fuel prices are up by over 50 per cent. Service stations are running dry. Farmers can't farm, truckies can't truck and miners can't mine. The cost of food is set to rise. Vital health services are at risk. When is the Prime Minister finally going to show leadership and fix this national crisis?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question. Indeed, the government not only accepts responsibility; we're taking action. Earlier today, those opposite said that we should bring on legislation for a vote, and then, when we did, they voted against it. Sound familiar? It's exactly what they did between December and January.

What we've done is introduce new laws to double penalties for petrol companies for price gouging. We've convened the National Cabinet. We've appointed a national Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator. We've begun release of the 20 per cent of Australia's fuel reserves. We've changed petrol standards to get more fuel flowing. We've changed diesel standards so Australian refineries can supply more diesel. We've tasked the ACCC to ramp up fuel price monitoring and issue on-the-spot fines.

We've engaged with international partners to keep supply flowing. We've engaged with the states and territories on supply and distribution, including—we've held one meeting of the National Cabinet; there'll be another one on Monday. We're holding a special energy ministers meeting. We've activated the National Coordination Mechanism, which has met twice. We've convened the National Oil Supplies Emergency Committee six times. We've unlocked money for financial counselling and funding for impacted farmers.

We've changed the law to make it easier for Australia's refineries to access government funding when they run at a loss and ensured that the two refineries that remained after the opposition's period in office can keep going into the future. We've fixed the fuel security services payment to make it easier for Australia's refineries to access government funding. We've changed the law so the Fair Work Commission can demand companies pay truckies fairly when fuel prices spike.

As people have said—those opposite have said, the shadow Treasurer has said—there are a lot of events outside of our control. There is recognition that there's this world conflict going on that is having an impact here. Don't come in here and pretend that that doesn't exist. We understand. We understand that it's real and we understand that it makes a difference. And coming in here and pretending that this conflict—we do not know when it will end; we hope it ends soon—is not having an impact right around the globe is frankly just treating people like mugs. We know it's having an impact, and others have said that as well. Maybe they could take the advice of the former leader of the National Party. 'People just need to calm themselves down,' is what he said. Maybe he was talking about his colleagues. (Time expired)