Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. On Monday, Labor's energy minister, Chris Bowen, told Australians that panic buying, not supply issues, was behind the fuel shortages across Australia, even as regional servos were already running out of diesel and turning people away. These predictable shortages are impacting our most critical food bowl in the electorate of Farrer and exposing Labor's complete failure to secure and prioritise fuel supply and distribution when a crisis hits the system. Can the minister advise whether the Prime Minister still has confidence in Mr Bowen's management of fuel security and, if so, why, under Labor's emergency management plan, farmers and truckies who feed the nation are not guaranteed to be first in line for diesel ahead of city motorists.

David Shoebridge (NSW, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He loves his war! He loves the war.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Shoebridge, come to order. When senators are on their feet asking a question, they have the right to be heard in silence. Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Bell. I've been here long enough to see people campaign in the Senate for state elections and for by-elections, and I can say to you that I've never seen it actually have an effect on the ground, but you go your hardest. That's fine.

Secondly, the point I would make in terms of the track record of the government—Senator Gallagher went through it, I think, very clearly in the question she answered—is that it is our government that established domestic fuel reserves for diesel, for petrol and for jet fuel. It is our government that put a gas reservation in place so more affordable gas goes to Australian households and industries. We introduced minimum stockpiling obligations so we could withstand energy supply shocks, and that does stand in contrast to Mr Taylor's decision, while he was the minister, to put Australian fuel reserves in Texas.

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

Like Waco.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would—sorry. I apologise. The minister is distracting me.

What I would say to you though, Senator, is the same thing I said to Senator O'Sullivan, which is that the advice to us very clearly is that we have as much fuel coming through our ports now as we did before the war began. It is the case that there is demand in some areas of our country, regional areas but also in some different sectors, which differs from the normal patterns of demand. Obviously, that does create a mismatch between supply and demand. It is a function of differing demand patterns, not a function of supply, and we would encourage the parliament to be responsible in how they engage with industry on this, given the national interest.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bell, first supplementary?

Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, you claim that there is as much diesel in the country today as there was when this crisis started. But, if that is true, will the government explain why, after a very predictable rise in demand during a crisis, Labor's fuel security system has broken down and why, under Mr Bowen's watch, the very farmers who need that diesel to get this year's crops in the ground are being denied access to it?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes, producers of Australia's food and fibre do need the fuel that is required to produce that, which is why those opposite, including yourself, shouldn't stoke fear in the community. I suppose it is One Nation. I have to accept that that is the modus operandi, and I would note that we have already established domestic fuel reserves for diesel, petrol and jet fuel in Australia—minimum stockholding obligations.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party, Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, people cannot get fuel, Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know Senator McKenzie is desperate to intervene on your question, but you shouldn't let her. This is your question. You shouldn't let the National Party try and jump aboard the One Nation agenda, which is clearly what they are trying to do.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bell, second supplementary?

Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australians have seen predictable supply shocks before, but, under Labor, we now seem to have more sovereign capability to supply toilet paper than we do to supply critical fuels like diesel to meet the demand of our farmers and critical food production. What does that say about Australia's food security policies under the Albanese Labor government, and when will the Prime Minister supply actual fuel security for the people who feed and power this country?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your party was very silent when the coalition failed to put in place minimum stockpiling obligations. Your party was very silent when they put Texas as where fuel reserves would be.

Sean Bell (NSW, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order on relevance: the minister knows that we raised this when the coalition was in government too.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That's not a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator, you engaged in a political attack. You're entitled to do that, and I'm entitled to respond. The reality is that you were very quiet as a party when Mr Taylor wanted to put fuel in Texas, and you were very quiet as a party when there was no minimum stockpiling obligation under the coalition. You have been very quiet as a party whilst—actually, did they vote against the coal and gas price caps and energy relief? Did you vote against those as well? That's interesting. You voted against coal and gas price caps for Australians, and now you complain about price increases. I think the hypocrisy is on display, if I may say.