Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. On 10 March, Senator Wong told the Senate that there was not a fuel supply problem; just unusual demand behaviour. On 11 March, you said exactly the same thing. Minister Bowen now calls it a national crisis. Minister, which is it? Will you apologise to Australians for the weeks of denial while the browsers ran dry?

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

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On what date was the government first advised that six shipments of vital fuel supply bound for Australia were cancelled?

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

I will provide more information on that question if I can. I can certainly tell you that that is something that has only recently become clear. What we will see over the coming weeks and months, depending upon how long the crisis in the Middle East goes for, is two things happening. Firstly, up until recently all of the ships that were coming to Australia were on target, on time. We will see, like we have just seen, a number of deferrals and a number of cancellations—six out of 81. You'll also see the government undertaking the action that it has been undertaking in consultation with our partners in the region to make sure we are swapping in fuel capacity when that is possible. That's why you have a minimum stockholding obligation, to provide resilience precisely in— (Time expired)

Jonathon Duniam (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The war in Iran began on 28 February 2026. That's 23 days ago. Specifically how many new fuel shipments have been contracted since 28 February this year?

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

If I can provide anything in relation to that specific question I will. We have been completely transparent about what fuel reserves are on hand. It stands starkly in contrast to what the previous Liberal and National government did. The coalition closed refineries. We are keeping them open. The coalition stored emergency fuel on another continent. We are storing it here. The coalition talked about minimum stockholding obligations. We implemented them. The coalition talked about low carbon liquid fuels. We are investing in them. The coalition, the Liberals and Nationals—I understand why they are so embarrassed—oversaw the closure of urea facilities. We are building a new one. That's what this government is doing—undertaking practical action in the national interest every day of the week.