Meryl Swanson (Paterson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. What actions is the Albanese Labor government taking to support our farmers and producers to help manage the disruption from the conflict in the Middle East?

Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank our fabulous member for Paterson, who—for those of you that don't know—did chair a critical report into our food security, which is really coming to the fore in the current climate in which we find ourselves dealing with the impact of this conflict in the Middle East. She understands just how important it is. We, the government, have been laser focused on helping our farmers, our fishers and our producers to manage the impacts of the conflict in the Middle East. As we've heard, this conflict is impacting globally, and that includes here in Australia. Of course, front of mind for industry here in Australia has been the inputs of fertiliser and fuel, which we know are critical to our food production. We know there have been challenges around the demand of these, which of course come on top of some of the difficult weather conditions that our farmers have been dealing with in some parts of the country.

But today's endorsement of a national fuel security plan by National Cabinet will deliver a coordinated and consistent response across the country to support all Australians, including our farmers, fishers and producers. We've also heard, from our prime minister and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, that we'll work with industry to help to underwrite the purchase of fuel and, importantly, fertiliser by the private sector, to deal with some of these challenges. This will support our suppliers to secure additional supply. There was the announcement today in terms of the fuel excise reduction and the heavy-vehicle road-user charge reduction, and that builds on our appointment of the Fuel Supply Taskforce and its coordinator to drive fuel distribution, which we know has been impacted in the regions.

We're releasing up to 20 per cent of our fuel reserves to help address this regional shortage and are adjusting fuel and diesel standards to help bring more fuel into the market, particularly into regions. We've also tasked the National Food Council to concentrate on the conflict in the Middle East, and we've commissioned a national food supply chain assessment, with the initial report on diesel supply due to me within the month. We know that a large portion of our fertiliser supply, including urea, comes from the Middle East. That's why we're working with Fertilizer Australia, the National Farmers' Federation and other industry bodies and right across our government to closely monitor fertiliser supplies and to coordinate alternative supply options. We're working right across government but also with countries in our region to help secure additional supply of fertiliser. We're also strengthening our biosecurity processes to manage the risks and allow the prioritisation of fertiliser cargoes at our border, to make sure that, if we're getting it from alternative places, we get it into the country quickly.

We're using all of the levers available to us to help shield our farmers, our fishers and our regional communities from the impact of the conflict in the Middle East. I'm continuing to meet with farmers, fishers and producers to manage this, and I particularly want to thank them for how constructive they've been in engaging with the government and for their suggestions and the work they're doing with us.