❓ Mr Hunter questions the Premier about ongoing regional fuel shortages, particularly diesel, impacting farmers and transport operators, despite a recent industry roundtable. The Premier responds by outlining collaborative efforts between government and industry to address the supply challenges following the Iran war.
AnsweredQoN 149Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Fuel supply—Regions
149. Mr Lachlan Hunter to
the Premier:
I refer to ongoing
fuel shortages impacting regional Western Australia, with farmers heading into
season, fruit and vegetable growers needing to irrigate and harvest their crops
and transport operators needing to move produce, all without certainty of that
dirty word the Premier does not like talking about, which is "diesel".
Despite the Premier's round table, 12 days after the Iran war, there has been
no improvement in supply and no certainty for industry.
Mr David Michael: Mr Speaker, I have a point of order.
The Speaker: It is okay, Leader of the House. I have
got this. Member for Central Wheatbelt, the preamble is extremely long. Can you
get to the question, please?
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Despite your
round table, 12 days after the Iran war, there has been no improvement in
supply and no certainty for industry and regional communities.
Premier, given the—
Mr David Michael: I have a point of order—
The Speaker: Minister, he is just about to ask the
question. If not, he will sit down. Ask the question.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Preambles are actually allowed.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Central Wheatbelt,
preambles are allowed, but not extensively long ones and when I ask you to ask
the question, you ask the question. So, ask the question.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given the
real risk of food security and food price rises from supply chain distribution,
does the Premier accept that this is now becoming a food security issue, and
when will sufficient diesel be available to farmers and regional communities?
Point of order
Mr David Michael: I have a point of order. The member
has asked for an opinion.
The Speaker: I honestly cannot remember the question!
But I will allow the Premier to respond, if he would.
Questions without notice resumed
149. Mr Lachlan Hunter to
the Premier:
I refer to ongoing
fuel shortages impacting regional Western Australia, with farmers heading into
season, fruit and vegetable growers needing to irrigate and harvest their crops
and transport operators needing to move produce, all without certainty of that
dirty word the Premier does not like talking about, which is "diesel".
Despite the Premier's round table, 12 days after the Iran war, there has been
no improvement in supply and no certainty for industry.
Mr David Michael: Mr Speaker, I have a point of order.
The Speaker: It is okay, Leader of the House. I have
got this. Member for Central Wheatbelt, the preamble is extremely long. Can you
get to the question, please?
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Despite your
round table, 12 days after the Iran war, there has been no improvement in
supply and no certainty for industry and regional communities.
Premier, given the—
Mr David Michael: I have a point of order—
The Speaker: Minister, he is just about to ask the
question. If not, he will sit down. Ask the question.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Preambles are actually allowed.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Central Wheatbelt,
preambles are allowed, but not extensively long ones and when I ask you to ask
the question, you ask the question. So, ask the question.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given the
real risk of food security and food price rises from supply chain distribution,
does the Premier accept that this is now becoming a food security issue, and
when will sufficient diesel be available to farmers and regional communities?
Point of order
Mr David Michael: I have a point of order. The member
has asked for an opinion.
The Speaker: I honestly cannot remember the question!
But I will allow the Premier to respond, if he would.
Questions without notice resumed
AnswerView source ↗
I want to
acknowledge the level of uncertainty, concern and anxiety in the community
today as a result of a war in the Middle East. One of the great things we saw
last week, particularly at our industry fuel security round table, was industry
coming together, working with each other, working with government to try to
overcome an issue that is impacting all Western Australians, but regional
Western Australians in particular. The great thing about Western Australia
during a time of crisis, during a time of external threat, is that we come
together and unite to try to find solutions. That is what the fuel industry operational
group is doing. It is bringing the Western Australian Farmers Federation, the Chamber
of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, the Association of Mining and
Exploration Companies and the Western Roads Federation into the room to work on
a daily basis on solutions about how we are going to deal with an issue that is
happening in Iran at the moment. There is just one group that continues to try
to spread fear and division and panic in the community.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Sorry, Premier; just pause, please.
Member for Central
Wheatbelt, your question was extremely long and possibly out of order, but the
Premier is responding to it. If you would like to ask a supplementary question,
then please do not interject on the Premier.
Mr Roger Cook: Within days of this conflict breaking
out, we held our round table to bring everyone together to find solutions to
the situation that we are confronting. Since then, the fuel industry operational
group has met daily to make sure that it can find solutions to work out how we
can get fuel to communities and to farmers like Davina and her husband in Newdegate.
That is around a seven-point plan, which is the state government investigating
priorities in fuel and fertiliser imports through our Western Australian ports.
It includes fuel providers responding to the needs of regional Western
Australians with timely restocking. It involves industry exploring the use of
higher efficiency vehicles or road trains, which the Minister for Transport is
attending to; and fuel retailers taking immediate
action to address excessive stockpiling. We have seen some good examples of
that out there in the community. The state government convened an industry operational
group, which has been meeting daily since that round table to work out
solutions. The state government is continuing to work with industry to raise Western
Australia's priorities with the federal government. I am very pleased to see
the way the federal government has moved quickly to provide extra fuel from our
reserves, but also temporarily lowering the sulphur standards to make sure we
have extra fuel in the system, and industry and government coordinating on
public messaging of reassurance with Western Australians, giving them
up-to-date information of supply, which is what our industry partners are doing,
as I explained in my brief ministerial statement earlier today. Real action is
taking place on a daily basis. Industry and government are working together to
find a solution to those distribution challenges that we are currently
experiencing.
acknowledge the level of uncertainty, concern and anxiety in the community
today as a result of a war in the Middle East. One of the great things we saw
last week, particularly at our industry fuel security round table, was industry
coming together, working with each other, working with government to try to
overcome an issue that is impacting all Western Australians, but regional
Western Australians in particular. The great thing about Western Australia
during a time of crisis, during a time of external threat, is that we come
together and unite to try to find solutions. That is what the fuel industry operational
group is doing. It is bringing the Western Australian Farmers Federation, the Chamber
of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, the Association of Mining and
Exploration Companies and the Western Roads Federation into the room to work on
a daily basis on solutions about how we are going to deal with an issue that is
happening in Iran at the moment. There is just one group that continues to try
to spread fear and division and panic in the community.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Sorry, Premier; just pause, please.
Member for Central
Wheatbelt, your question was extremely long and possibly out of order, but the
Premier is responding to it. If you would like to ask a supplementary question,
then please do not interject on the Premier.
Mr Roger Cook: Within days of this conflict breaking
out, we held our round table to bring everyone together to find solutions to
the situation that we are confronting. Since then, the fuel industry operational
group has met daily to make sure that it can find solutions to work out how we
can get fuel to communities and to farmers like Davina and her husband in Newdegate.
That is around a seven-point plan, which is the state government investigating
priorities in fuel and fertiliser imports through our Western Australian ports.
It includes fuel providers responding to the needs of regional Western
Australians with timely restocking. It involves industry exploring the use of
higher efficiency vehicles or road trains, which the Minister for Transport is
attending to; and fuel retailers taking immediate
action to address excessive stockpiling. We have seen some good examples of
that out there in the community. The state government convened an industry operational
group, which has been meeting daily since that round table to work out
solutions. The state government is continuing to work with industry to raise Western
Australia's priorities with the federal government. I am very pleased to see
the way the federal government has moved quickly to provide extra fuel from our
reserves, but also temporarily lowering the sulphur standards to make sure we
have extra fuel in the system, and industry and government coordinating on
public messaging of reassurance with Western Australians, giving them
up-to-date information of supply, which is what our industry partners are doing,
as I explained in my brief ministerial statement earlier today. Real action is
taking place on a daily basis. Industry and government are working together to
find a solution to those distribution challenges that we are currently
experiencing.
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