Matt Burnell (Spence, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to the question asked in the House yesterday, when the PM committed to speak personally to Josh, a farmer from the Eyre Peninsula, about fuel supplies. Can the PM update the House.

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

I thank the member for Spence for his question. Yesterday I got a question from the member for Grey. It concerned Josh, a farmer on the Eyre Peninsula. I received the details from the member for Grey, and I thank him for them. I spoke with Josh this morning. Josh informed me, as the member for Grey had said, that he'd had difficulty accessing fuel. He thought there were a range of issues as to why that was the case, but I undertook to work to see what we could do to provide information and to assist him. The farm where Josh works with his family farms canola, wheat, cereals and cattle. It's a diverse farm. I want to pay tribute to him and his family and to all farmers out there who put food on our table and who make a difference.

Josh informed me that they access their fuel from the distributor Eyre Fuels. They're an independent operator. What we know is that there have been more particularly acute issues for independent players than the big contractors because of the way that the system works in their interaction with the fuel suppliers. We found out that they get their fuel from Liberty through the Port Lincoln fuel terminal. Together, we contacted Liberty. The energy minister was involved. We ascertained that they did have shortages in that fuel terminal but they were keeping their supplies for emergency services, particularly those concerned about fires and other issues as well, but that just yesterday there had been a ship of fuel delivered to the terminal. I was able to ring Josh again, as I committed to do after finding out for him, and he will be receiving fuel in the next 48 hours. That's a good result.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Order, members on my left! I'm going to ask members on my left to cease interjecting. I want to hear what the Prime Minister has to say.

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

It's a good thing for Josh. We know as well that, with the global pressure that's on, many people are in situations like Josh's. We acknowledge that. We're working to do the best that we can to make a difference for them and to find out information for them appropriately. I'm reporting to the House, I would have thought, in a way that is respectful of the member for Grey and his constituent. I'll continue, as will everyone on this side of the House, to do what I can to act in circumstances which are difficult for people. We know that that's the case. We can't just wish it away. What we can do is do what we can to take action. I thank all those involved. I think Josh had already received a phone call from Eyre Fuels to inform him of what was occurring just five minutes before I rang back to inform him of the situation. He's a delightful young person, and I wish him and his family all the very best.