Tim Ayres (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Hansard source

What this government has been very clear about since the commencement of hostilities in the Middle East is that Australia has, at a national level, the strongest fuel reserves that we have had for more than 15 years. That is the truth. Of course, that is not the same proposition that supply is extended perfectly to every part of the Australian economy, and that is why the government has responded in the way that it has.

It's not just important to have those practical responses—appointment of the fuel coordinator, releasing of 20 per cent of the minimum stockholding obligation, additional powers for the ACCC and providing direction to the ACCC so that their role doesn't get in the way of fuel retailers being able to cooperate to get supply to some of the places that I dealt with in my answer to Senator McKenzie—but it also requires all of us who are engaged in this effort here, in parliamentary democracy, to be clear with the Australian people about what is going on. It is true that it is very important, when these kinds of challenges come along, to give Australians confidence that, at the heart of this matter, we have stronger fuel security than we have traditionally had. It is not right to go around encouraging Australians to stockpile or purchase more fuel than they need. There are some people over there who are doing precisely that.