❓ Ms Kent asks about fuel security in WA. The Premier responds, outlining government actions to address distribution challenges, including collaboration with industry and the federal government to ensure fuel supply across regional WA.
AnsweredQoN 163Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Fuel supply—Security
163. Ms Ali Kent to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's nation-leading response to securing fuel for Western
Australia.
(1) Can the Premier update the house on the
discussions with the fuel industry operations group?
(2) Can the Premier outline how the government is
working with industry and the federal government to secure fuel across regional
Western Australia?
163. Ms Ali Kent to the Premier:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's nation-leading response to securing fuel for Western
Australia.
(1) Can the Premier update the house on the
discussions with the fuel industry operations group?
(2) Can the Premier outline how the government is
working with industry and the federal government to secure fuel across regional
Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member
for Kalgoorlie for the question and for her advocacy for her community and her
industries.
(1)–(2) I also acknowledge that it is
tough out there in regional WA at the moment with some of the distribution
challenges that we have. I know that there is anxiety right across the state, particularly
in our regions, in the current circumstances. The government has been advised
by industry that WA has sufficient fuel supply until at least mid-April, but my
government is continuing to work with industry and the community on practical
solutions to ensure that Western Australia is resilient to any global shocks we
face. We can support our communities and keep our economy strong.
In times of global uncertainty,
it is important that we work together more than ever to make sure that
government, industry and the community can get through these challenges
together. That is what we are doing. My government is working hard to get
diesel, petrol and fertiliser to regional WA sooner, and we are also working
with industry to make fuel available in the areas that need it most. We have
made changes so that road trains will be able to carry additional loads of fuel
and fertiliser to the regions. To help with distribution, industry will work
with the government and fuel companies to triage the priority areas that need stock.
Industry will provide the priority locations, and the new permit conditions will
be rolled out progressively. It means that road trains will be able to bring
more petrol, more diesel and more fertiliser to the Goldfields, the South West,
the Great Southern and the Wheatbelt. This has been backed by the Chamber of
Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, which said yesterday that the state
government had worked very quickly and very proactively to get fuel where it is
needed.
As I said, industry is working
with government together to meet those challenges. I want to thank industry for
working with us. In particular, I want to acknowledge the work of Alinta
Energy. Earlier today, the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation announced
that Alinta has identified surplus fuel that can be brought to the market after
it reviewed diesel held at its Wagerup power station. Alinta is working with
Great Southern Fuels to release about two truckloads of fuel in the next week
to regional emergency services like fire stations, police stations and
hospitals. It is also about to release two truckloads of fuel for distributors in the Dandaragan region. Talks are
underway to release additional fuel for farming and other industrial uses.
This was facilitated by my
government and by the fuel industry operations group, which is meeting
regularly to ensure that we get fuel to those who need it most as quickly as
possible. It is a demonstration of my government's seven-point plan, which is
already delivering results. Part of that plan was to work with the federal
government on national and state-related issues to ensure that we can move to
other solutions. Members will be aware that the federal government will convene
a National Cabinet meeting tomorrow, which I will participate in and support. We
have been working with the federal government to ensure a coordinated approach
to this new global challenge. I will ensure that Western Australia's concerns
and priorities are raised at the forefront of those discussions.
I know that there is a lot of
anxiety in the community about fuel security at the moment. I want to reassure
all Western Australians that my government is doing everything it can to
overcome those challenges. Once again, I remind everyone that people are working
together in industry, in community and in government to ensure that when we
meet these global challenges, as we have in the past, we can get through them
together.
Visitors
The Speaker: Before I give you the call, member for
Cottesloe, it is probably a good opportunity for me, on behalf of various
members of the Labor Party, to welcome Michael Kaine, the National Secretary of
the Transport Workers' Union of Australia; Tim Dawson, WA Branch Secretary of
the Transport Workers' Union; and various Transport Workers' Union members and
organisers who are here in the gallery today. Welcome to Parliament.
for Kalgoorlie for the question and for her advocacy for her community and her
industries.
(1)–(2) I also acknowledge that it is
tough out there in regional WA at the moment with some of the distribution
challenges that we have. I know that there is anxiety right across the state, particularly
in our regions, in the current circumstances. The government has been advised
by industry that WA has sufficient fuel supply until at least mid-April, but my
government is continuing to work with industry and the community on practical
solutions to ensure that Western Australia is resilient to any global shocks we
face. We can support our communities and keep our economy strong.
In times of global uncertainty,
it is important that we work together more than ever to make sure that
government, industry and the community can get through these challenges
together. That is what we are doing. My government is working hard to get
diesel, petrol and fertiliser to regional WA sooner, and we are also working
with industry to make fuel available in the areas that need it most. We have
made changes so that road trains will be able to carry additional loads of fuel
and fertiliser to the regions. To help with distribution, industry will work
with the government and fuel companies to triage the priority areas that need stock.
Industry will provide the priority locations, and the new permit conditions will
be rolled out progressively. It means that road trains will be able to bring
more petrol, more diesel and more fertiliser to the Goldfields, the South West,
the Great Southern and the Wheatbelt. This has been backed by the Chamber of
Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, which said yesterday that the state
government had worked very quickly and very proactively to get fuel where it is
needed.
As I said, industry is working
with government together to meet those challenges. I want to thank industry for
working with us. In particular, I want to acknowledge the work of Alinta
Energy. Earlier today, the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation announced
that Alinta has identified surplus fuel that can be brought to the market after
it reviewed diesel held at its Wagerup power station. Alinta is working with
Great Southern Fuels to release about two truckloads of fuel in the next week
to regional emergency services like fire stations, police stations and
hospitals. It is also about to release two truckloads of fuel for distributors in the Dandaragan region. Talks are
underway to release additional fuel for farming and other industrial uses.
This was facilitated by my
government and by the fuel industry operations group, which is meeting
regularly to ensure that we get fuel to those who need it most as quickly as
possible. It is a demonstration of my government's seven-point plan, which is
already delivering results. Part of that plan was to work with the federal
government on national and state-related issues to ensure that we can move to
other solutions. Members will be aware that the federal government will convene
a National Cabinet meeting tomorrow, which I will participate in and support. We
have been working with the federal government to ensure a coordinated approach
to this new global challenge. I will ensure that Western Australia's concerns
and priorities are raised at the forefront of those discussions.
I know that there is a lot of
anxiety in the community about fuel security at the moment. I want to reassure
all Western Australians that my government is doing everything it can to
overcome those challenges. Once again, I remind everyone that people are working
together in industry, in community and in government to ensure that when we
meet these global challenges, as we have in the past, we can get through them
together.
Visitors
The Speaker: Before I give you the call, member for
Cottesloe, it is probably a good opportunity for me, on behalf of various
members of the Labor Party, to welcome Michael Kaine, the National Secretary of
the Transport Workers' Union of Australia; Tim Dawson, WA Branch Secretary of
the Transport Workers' Union; and various Transport Workers' Union members and
organisers who are here in the gallery today. Welcome to Parliament.
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