Colin Boyce (Flynn, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on two issues that are front of mind for the people of the Flynn electorate. The first is fuel. Right now, families and small businesses across our region are being hit hard by what has become a deepening national fuel crisis. For people in regional communities, fuel is not a luxury; it is an essential. It is how you get to work. It is how you run your farm. It is how you deliver goods. And it is how you keep small business operating.

In recent weeks, we've seen prices surge, and, in many cases, simple supply does not reach the local service stations. That means not just higher costs but uncertainty—uncertainty about whether you can even fill up when you need to. The coalition called on the government to act decisively and urgently by halving fuel excise for three months. This is a practical, immediate step that could deliver real relief to households and small businesses already under pressure.

Now, the government has made the decision to halve the fuel excise and reduce the heavy vehicle road user charge, and this will make a difference. Halving the fuel excise is expected to cut prices from around 26c per litre over the next three months. That is meaningful relief—relief that will be felt at the bowser, in household budgets and across small businesses trying to keep their doors open. Reducing the heavy vehicle road user charge is also an important step. It helps take pressure off the freight sector, and, as we know, when freight costs come down, that flows through to the cost of goods on supermarket shelves and in local stores.

These announcements are welcome but also overdue. While this relief is important, we must also be honest about the broader economic context. Measures like this, without proper offsets, risk adding to inflationary pressures, effectively pouring fuel on the inflation fire. That is why it is so important that the government pairs short-term relief with credible long-term plans. After several weeks, it was encouraging to finally see the government outline a national fuel security plan, but that plan remains light on detail. Australians have not been given clear, quantifiable trigger points for what happens next. There is still no transparent framework for how supply disruptions will be managed or how decisions will be made in the national interest. The reality is this: we still do not have a clear, workable plan to ensure fuel accurately gets to the service stations that have run dry and the agricultural sector that grows the food and fibre for our nation. The Prime Minister's decision to underwrite supply may sound significant but it does little to address the immediate problem facing communities right now: empty bowsers and higher prices.

We are told that there is enough fuel in the system. If that is the case, the question is simple: why is it not getting to where it is needed? Australians deserve answers. They also deserve confidence that the government will not resort to heavy-handed mandates that disrupt markets and create further uncertainty. We do welcome the government's offer of a briefing on these new powers, and we will engage constructively. But we will also scrutinise any legislation closely, to ensure that any extraordinary powers granted during the energy crisis are matched with appropriate and proportionate checks and balances.

I turn to the second issue: mobile connectivity. The coalition is calling for submissions to a Senate inquiry into the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025. This inquiry is a crucial opportunity for residents of Flynn—and regional Australia, more broadly—to have their say. In communities like ours, reliable mobile coverage is not a convenience; it is a necessity. It can mean the difference between safety and isolation. It underpins our emergency responses, supports our businesses and keeps families connected. Despite the importance of this issue, the government's proposed legislation raises some serious questions.

At it's core, the bill places a vague obligation on the telecommunications providers to deliver reasonable access to outdoor mobile connectivity on an equitable basis, but it fails to clearly define what that means in practice. What does 'reasonable access' look like in a rural and remote community, how will these obligations be enforced and how can we be confident that this will deliver real improvements on the ground, rather than just more promises? These are not minor details; they go to the heart of whether this policy will succeed or fail.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: the people of regional Australia are tired of being sold announcements instead of outcomes. They do not want glossy headlines. They want a signal on their phone when they need it most. They want to be able to pick up the phone and make a call when they need to. They want to be able to receive a two-factor authentication text message to log in to internet banking, for example. This is what they are asking for.

I speak with constituents across the Flynn electorate who still deal with the daily dropouts, the black spots on major roads and the unreliable service in their homes and businesses. This is not just frustrating, it is holding these communities back. Farmers cannot reliably access real-time data. Small businesses miss opportunities. Families cannot stay connected. In emergencies—whether it be a road accident, a fire or a medical episode—patchy coverage can have serious consequences. I've heard stories of people driving kilometres just to make a phone call or standing in one specific spot outside their home to get one bar of reception. This is the reality for 2026 that too many Australians living outside the major cities have to contend with, and it's simply not good enough.

If this government is serious about closing the digital divide, we must move beyond vague language and start delivering clear, enforceable outcomes. We need defined service standards, transparent reporting and consequences when obligations are not met. We need investment that actually targets known black spots, not just broad commitments that are difficult to measure. Without these elements, there is a real risk this legislation becomes another missed opportunity—well intentioned but, ultimately, ineffective. That is why it is so important that local people have their voices heard.

I am encouraging residents, farmers, businesses and community organisations across the electorate of Flynn to make submissions to the Senate inquiry. This is your opportunity to share your experiences, highlight the gaps and help shape a better outcome. Your voice matters, because no-one understands the challenges of regional connectivity better than the people who are living there. Submissions close on 8 April 2026. There may also be opportunities to give evidence at the public hearings.

Both these issues—fuel and connectivity—go directly to cost of living, to economic opportunity and to quality of life in regional Australia. They are not abstract policy debates. They are real issues affecting real people. We welcome action where it is taken, but we will continue to hold the government to account to ensure that that action is timely and effective, and that it delivers real results for people that we represent because, in regional communities, when fuel prices rise, everything becomes more expensive—getting to work, putting food on the table and keeping small businesses running. And when connectivity fails, it is not just an inconvenience. It cuts people off from essential services, education and emergency support.

These challenges compound disadvantage and widen the gap between the regions and our metropolitan cousins. Our communities deserve better. They deserve certainty, fairness and the infrastructure needed to thrive—just to get by.