Charlotte Walker (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to address the many questions regarding fuel security that those opposite have sought to prosecute this week. Our government is trying to protect fuel security, while we've got those opposite trying to turn the servo into the toilet paper aisle from 2020. This government's job is to keep Australia moving. The opposition seems to think being the panic-buyer rizzler of the news cycle is somehow economic policy. The government is trying to keep Australia's fuel secure and the economy snatched. The coalition is out here posting panic-buying content and wondering why everyone's filling jerry cans. Moments like this demand national unity, but we've seen nothing like that from those opposite. We all know that you're really desperate for your social media clips, so desperate that you'll seek to run a scare campaign on fuel supply.

I think this is wild behaviour from those who claim to care about supply chains. Barnaby Joyce has said that Australia's fuel supply has been made vulnerable because of Labor's climate policies—high-key embarrassing to be so wrong about two policies in the same sentence. Anyway, I digress. Hearing senators and MPs talk about the crisis in the Middle East, which is experiencing a devastating conflict across the whole region, and use it as an excuse to whinge about climate policies in Australia gives me the ick to the highest degree.

Our ministers are in constant contact with fuel suppliers daily to ensure supplies of diesel and other fuel are delivered to retailers. Petrol companies are telling us that their fuel stock continues to arrive on time and in the quantities that they expect. We're also hearing that in some places about a month's worth of fuel is being sold in a couple of days. Jerry cans of fuel are being put on Facebook Marketplace. Bunnings even reckon they're running out of jerry cans. As Minister Ayres mentioned earlier, the government has been in contact with the ACCC to also make sure that everyday Australians aren't being price-gouged at the bowser. We have as much fuel coming through the ports as was coming in before this began. Those opposite know this but choose to ignore it because it simply suits their agenda.

Of course it's important to acknowledge all of the stories that are coming in from across the country at the moment. As someone who grew up in the regions, I understand the fears and the concerns facing our community. I want to urge people in the metro areas in Australia not to panic. There is enough petrol for all of us. However, if you are trying to stockpile, this will hurt regional and remote Australians.

We all know that the coalition is truly, truly broken, but to seek to take advantage of the situation that we're in for political gain is a real shame. Those opposite need to understand, in relation to the words that we use in this place, that people listen to what we say. We have a responsibility to provide facts to the community, not to play into misinformation.

It's ironic that those opposite raise this not only in the context of fuel security but also in the context of cost of living. I'm aware that those opposite aren't too keen on practical things to actually help everyday Australians with cost of living. We can't forget they're the ones who took higher taxes to the last election. It was really good to have a read of their federal election review as well. To those opposite who haven't had a chance to read the election review: I'd really encourage you to do so. It's a great read.

I should also remind those opposite that Angus Taylor, the then energy minister, stored our fuel reserves in Texas. It was our government that actually changed the law to make sure it was kept onshore for when we needed it. But it's nice to see that—perhaps after reading the election review—Senator Duniam said on 2CC that we only have two refineries in Australia because of legislation passed under the former coalition government.

We are not experiencing a fuel shortage; we are experiencing a localised disruption due to a significant spike in demand. People who are panic-buying must stop. At the end of the day, it's hurting our farmers and it's hurting those who put food on our tables. A petrol station manager from my home state, in Mount Gambier down in the south-east, has said that panic buying is creating unnecessary pressure on fuel supplies and collegiate shortages that don't actually exist. They have suggested that people stay calm and buy as usual.