Zaneta Mascarenhas (Swan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to talk about what's been on the minds of many Australians over the past four weeks, and that's the price of fuel at the fuel pump, whether fuel will be there and what it means for the weekly shop, for getting to work, for keeping a small business open or for farmers. These are questions for everyday life, and because of the conflict in the Middle East these questions have become urgent questions. Australians deserve a government that listens and acts, and today the Albanese government delivered. From this Wednesday, 1 April, the fuel excise will be halved. That's 26c off every litre of petrol and diesel. The ACCC will be watching to make sure that these savings reach every single person at the pump, and any retailer who thinks otherwise will need to answer for it.

Motorists are not the only ones feeling it. For freight operators keeping food on the shelves and critical supplies moving, the squeeze is just as real. That's why the heavy vehicle road user charge is also being cut to zero for three months. This is so they can keep on doing work for Australia that Australians depend on.

I'm particularly proud to be a part of the Albanese government today—a government that has brought every state and territory leader together around a single, unified National Fuel Security Plan. I want to explain what that plan means for everyday Australians because people deserve to understand it clearly. The plan has four levels. The first is around planning and preparedness, the second is about keeping Australia moving, the third is about taking targeted action and the fourth is around protecting critical services for all Australians.

For level 1, which is plan and prepare, the government needs to understand and trace the supply chain. Also, there is updated supply and price reporting.

We are now at level 2, which is about keeping Australia moving. At this level, supply is still operating, but there are localised disruptions. The government is taking precautionary steps to shore up supply, releasing reserves, working with international partners and asking Australians to make voluntary choices. Take only what is needed. Use public transport where it is possible.

If conditions worsen, then we will go to level 3, which is about taking targeted action. This means that the government will coordinate more actively to ensure that fuel gets to where it is needed most and also give people practical measures to help reduce demand across the entire economy.

Then we have level 4, which is about protecting critical services. This is the most serious setting, where fuel is directed to essential users, hospitals, emergency services, utilities and life-supporting infrastructure. The Prime Minister has been clear. We hope that we do not exceed level 2, but having levels 3 and 4 planned means that Australians can have confidence that we have planned for every scenario. While we manage the immediate fuel challenges, we're also building for what comes next.

The other thing that we need to make sure that we're aware of is what the fuel crisis means for fertilisers. One of the things that the Albanese government has helped support is a new urea plant in Western Australia. This is a $6 billion facility that's under construction right now. Urea is not just a fertiliser for our farmers; it has many uses, including use in modern trucks through the additive AdBlue. Urea is important to the supply chains. It helps modern trucks run and it literally helps food grow. By investing in domestic urea production, we are making sure that the next time the world is hit by a global shock, Australia is not scrambling to secure supply from the other side of the world. That's long-term thinking that our country deserves. That's what responsible government looks like.

These fuel and fertiliser actions did not come from nowhere. Over the past four weeks, the government has released 762 million litres from the strategic reserve, changed fuel standards to unlock more supply, doubled penalties for price gouging and secured a supply agreement with Singapore. I know the cost of living is tough, and we continue to work hard on this.

House adjourned at 20:00