Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Senator Ayres. The price of fuel and fertiliser for regional communities and farmers is rising due to the conflict in the Middle East. In some areas there are shortages. In response, a key focus for the Albanese Labor government is ensuring Australia's supply of fuel and fertiliser is secure and that supplies get to where they are needed. What is the government doing to protect regional communities and businesses from energy and supply chain shocks?

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

Thank you, Senator Whiteaker, for that question. The first thing I should say particularly for regional communities is that yesterday, on top of a series of other measures that have been undertaken over the last three or four weeks, the Albanese government halved fuel excise. In terms of regional communities, where more fuel is used, obviously, and households have disproportionately lower incomes than in big cities, this has a disproportionately positive effect. We on this side are very proud of that decision.

Secondly, we've cut the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero for three months and will delay the planned increase in that charge by an additional six months. Logistics for regional communities make up a larger proportion of goods prices, so it will have a downward effect on what is happening in terms of goods prices in country communities where, because of increases in the cost of fuel, they are facing sharper increases than city communities are facing.

On fertilisers, our new EFA powers will enable suppliers to meet uncontracted demand, keeping the domestic fertiliser market well supplied and flexible—as flexible and well supplied as we can make it—to meet farmers' changing needs. These are challenging times for Australian agriculture on the back of a series of record years in terms of production, broadly, in Australian agriculture. We are determined to do what we can as a government, working with the states and territories, to support our farming communities, particularly as we approach—

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

Thank you, Minister. Senator Whiteaker, first supplementary?

Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you for that answer, Minister. The new underwriting powers for Export Finance Australia will enable suppliers to secure additional shipments of fuel and fertiliser. Why are the new powers for Export Finance Australia particularly important for protecting regional communities?

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

In particular in relation to fertiliser but also more broadly in relation to fuels, this is a very important set of actions for regional communities. We are not here undercutting the domestic market. What the government is doing is de-risking additional fertiliser shipments for private suppliers that are otherwise, in their judgement and the feedback we've got from industry—very clearly—sometimes too risky to order without firm contracts. It will keep the fertiliser market more flexible and mean that Australian procurers overseas are in the front of the queue instead of the back of the queue because they have that support from Export Finance Australia and from the Australian government. It puts Australian suppliers and Australian farmers in a stronger competitive position. (Time expired)

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

Senator Whiteaker, second supplementary?

Ellie Whiteaker (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government has prioritised strengthening Australia's sovereign capability. What has the government done to make sure Australian supply chains are more resilient?

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

If I can take one example, the intervention by the Albanese government jointly with the Crisafulli government in Queensland to support the copper smelter operations in Mount Isa means that Australia's only domestic manufacturer of monoammonium phosphate and di-ammonium phosphate is open today. Despite those opposite saying they would not have done that intervention and criticising it up hill and down dale, we have domestic fertiliser production in Australia for two reasons: (1) our Future Made in Australia agenda is making Australia stronger and supporting businesses like that specific business; and (2) the decision by the government to announce a gas reservation strategy supported the ongoing operations of that business. (Time expired)

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. On Saturday, at a press conference in Sydney, the Prime Minister said:

I was with the head of Bunnings just last weekend, had a discussion with him. They've run out of jerry cans. That's not sensible. People need to act responsibly at this time.

Is the Prime Minister correct that Bunnings has run out of jerry cans?

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

This is—okay—the question on the economy. I am not across Bunnings' inventory, but I can say to you that—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order!

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

But I am across why—

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! I do need to hear the minister's response. Minister Wong, please continue.

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

But I am across the circumstances which led a number of Australians to buy jerry cans and to fuel up, and they are, of course, the conflict in the Middle East. I know the opposition appear to not want to treat this seriously today, but there is a serious question about how we deal with the largest global shock to energy markets since the 1970s. That is a serious economic and policy question, and it is an important issue for public figures to manage responsibly.

What I'd say to the opposition is: we laid out yesterday a very clear plan that responded to the growing challenges in global energy markets. We have obviously been acting prior to this. You've seen the release of 20 per cent of the minimum stockholding obligations. You've seen changes to the fuel regulations, to enable more fuel produced in Australia to be used here. You've seen the way in which the government has sought to deal with this issue. Then, on Saturday, you saw the Prime Minister and Minister Bowen make a very important announcement, which Senator Farrell was also engaged in, which was about more supply—to use Export Finance Australia to de-risk some of the purchases on the private market to increase supply. These are serious matters involving serious considerations. (Time expired)

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

Senator Paterson, first supplementary?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Minister, for that entirely non-responsive answer. A spokesman for Bunnings told Samantha Maiden from news.com.au yesterday:

Bunnings has not run out of jerry cans.

As the Prime Minister said himself, people need to act responsibly at this time. How is it responsible to add to Australians' anxiety with baseless misinformation like this?

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

There's conflict in the Middle East involving around 12 countries, Iran is holding the Strait of Hormuz hostage, 20 per cent of the global supply of oil is affected—70 per cent of the oil coming to our region—the largest shock in energy markets since the 1970s, and they want to ask an inventory question. This says something about—you are not serious. You are not a serious opposition. You started this question time with a question about the parliament because you can't think of something to ask about fuel, and now you are asking about inventory, not about the global energy problems, not about the Iran war—but now about inventory. It says something about your lack of standing, Senator Paterson.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

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

Thank you, Minister. That was a truly disgraceful response—

Opposition senators interjecting—

when the minister was on her feet. No. Senators on my left! Order! You may joke to and from and across the chamber; you don't joke with me. That was disorderly conduct by those on my left when the minister was responding, and you will come to order. I am not in a yelling competition with the whole of the opposition. Senator Paterson, second supplementary.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How can the Australian people trust anything the Prime Minister says about the fuel crisis when the government first denied there was a crisis, then dragged their feet to act and now can't even get basic facts right?

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

How can the Australian people trust an opposition who so clearly is not up to the job? How can the Australian people trust an opposition when you've got the leader and Mr Hastie—I'm sorry, what is his portfolio? Defence!—contradicting each other on policy quite openly and leading to Mr Taylor saying, 'I'm going to counsel him,' and then Mr Hastie saying, 'Well, actually, it was more like a chat between mates.'

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Senator Paterson, a point of order?

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Defence) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's on direct relevance. I'm not sure what the minister's observations about people in the other House have to do with the Prime Minister getting massive fact wrong.

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

I have reminded the chamber over and over—there is no need to have an explanation. You've called a point of order. I'll remind the minister of the question. Minister Wong?

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

I'm asked about what the Australian people can trust, and I am simply saying that those opposite have demonstrated recently but also in the election, as I said—the party of higher taxes, higher deficits and more debt—that they are not to be trusted. So if we want to talk about trust, I think we know which party is serious— (Time expired)