David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction. Will the minister outline to the House the importance of the Morrison-McCormack government's actions to boost Australia's fuel security and sovereignty, and is the government aware of any alternative approaches?

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lyne for his question and acknowledge his strong focus on liquid fuel security. As a regional member, he knows how important that is for his electorate. He also knows that we've recently announced a $200 million program to increase our diesel fuel storages. He knows that diesel is absolutely critical for emergency services and for electricity back-up. Like we saw during the recent 'black summer', it is so critical in managing bushfires in places like the north coast of New South Wales. It is also vital in maintaining the distribution of our food products and medicine products and keeping our big exporters prosperous. Our miners and our farmers need diesel every day of the week.

We're creating a minimum stock holding obligation which will increase the diesel storage requirement by 40 per cent. We are backing our local refineries who play such a critical role in our fuel security in this country. This builds on the action that we have already taken to establish the first ever government owned crude oil stocks. We did that at a time of record low oil prices—a good deal for taxpayers. There has been a lot of support for our plan. The Australian Trucking Association has said:

Fuel security is crucial to trucking, our economy, and keeping Australian communities supplied.

The National Farmers Federation praised the announcement, saying it will:

… ensure that farmers can continue to grow the food and fibre we rely on without the fear of having supply chain disruptions due to shortages of liquid fuels.

The events of 2020 have reminded us that we cannot be complacent.

Whilst we are focused on affordable, reliable, secure liquid fuels and energy, the members opposite are focused on themselves. They have no plan for affordable energy, they have no plan for liquid fuels, they have no plan for gas and they have no plan to meet their Paris treaty obligations—no plan at all. They are paralysed by indecision and division, and their dysfunction has spilled onto the front pages of the papers. You have the member for Isaacs calling the member for Hunter unparliamentary names that I won't repeat in this place—not that that would bother the member for Hunter very much. In the same article, it was reported that a Labor MP said Mr Butler was 'failing on the politics of climate and energy' and referred to the member for Hindmarsh as being 'as useless as a vegan in a butcher's shop'.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition on a point of order?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am not sure where the minister downloaded this from, but it is the case that if he's actually got nothing to say about his portfolio or anything he's doing he should sit down.

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd just say to the Leader of the Opposition: the question had two components, and he's got four seconds left; that's about the best I can do for you, I think!

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, it's like a schoolyard fight, while we're getting on with delivering affordable— (Time expired)