Jim Chalmers
Rankin · Australian Labor Party · Australia
“It's why we have delivered and are delivering an ambitious budget defined by reform and resilience and responsible economic management. We've been delivering for the Australian people while the member for Hume has been destroying the Liberal Party. We've been delivering for Australians. He's been destroying the once great Liberal Party.”
“I acknowledge the member for Gellibrand and thank him especially for his work on Asian capability and the big report that he has just released as the chair of the education committee. Today is obviously a very important day.”
“We don't just acknowledge those challenges; we are addressing them. That's why we are delivering more tax cuts for Australian workers, more pay rises for people on awards and the minimum wage and a fairer tax system for first home buyers.”
“It's because every time the Australian people need them to vote to help them with these real pressures that they face, they vote to make things worse rather than better. They leave this parliament today more divisive and more divided than ever. We leave this parliament today delivering for the Australians who sent us here.”
“On Friday, we learned that the deficit for the year just finished will be smaller than anticipated at budget time, and we know from the AOFM this week that our debt will be $200 billion less than the trajectory we inherited from those opposite. If those opposite had their way, there'd be bigger deficits and more debt.”
“The member for Macquarie is a wonderful representative of workers and small businesses and families in her beautiful part of Australia. Today is a really important day, as the Prime Minister said a moment ago. We are delivering tax cuts.”
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“It is a great question, and it reflects the concerns of a number of our colleagues who raise these issues with me from time to time, and I see it in my own community. I see this as a very important economic issue, but also a social issue—a social justice issue: making sure that, when people come to our country, they can participate fully, whether it be in the labour market or in other ways. As the member well knows, as a participant at the Economic Reform Roundtable last year, this is a core part of the productivity puzzle as well, and it's an essential part of delivering the single national market for workers that we talked about in that forum and have been working hard to implement.”
“And also, earlier today, the Reserve Bank made it clear that, in October, they will be ending the surcharges on credit cards and debit cards, and I acknowledge the member for Bennelong and others who've campaigned for this outcome, for some time, in our economy. These fees and charges drive Australians absolutely nuts, and the Reserve Bank has said that they'll be winding them back from October. And so, across a whole range of areas, we're doing what we responsibly can to ease the cost of living. We know that this war in the Middle East is having very serious consequences for the global economy. Australians are paying a hefty price for that, at the bowser and beyond, and we're doing what we can to help.”
“This is timely relief, it is targeted relief, it's temporary relief and it's also responsible relief. One of the main jobs of this government is to work through these pressures that people are facing, right around Australia, and to step up and do what we responsibly can. And that's what this is all about. Now, this is not the only thing that we're doing to help with the cost of living. We've got the tax cuts coming. We've got more bulk-billing and cheaper medicines. We've got the student debt relief. This is all about easing some of that pressure that we understand and acknowledge that people are under. Also today—and I know the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations will want me to mention it—there was a very welcome outcome, when it comes to youth wages, from the Fair Work Commission.”
“I think it's worth acknowledging that, obviously, Australian families are not sitting around the table in the situation room, making key decisions about this war in the Middle East, but they are sitting around the kitchen tables, working out how they will pay for the consequences of this war in the Middle East, primarily when it comes to petrol and diesel. That's why the Prime Minister and I, working with our colleagues, including the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy and others, announced yesterday that we will be halving the fuel excise from April to give some welcome relief to Australians, particularly Australian motorists and truckies who are doing it tough. What this means is a fairly substantial saving at the petrol bowser for three months.”
“Thank you, Mr Speaker. I hope you and the wonderful member for Petrie won't mind me welcoming Lauren Jackson to the House as well. She is the absolute GOAT of Australian basketball, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who hopes that the next time we see Lauren Jackson in the parliament, she's not sitting up there but somewhere over here. When it comes to the very real and very serious pressures that Australians are facing, particularly but not only at the petrol bowser, this government and this prime minister are stepping up and stepping in to do what we responsibly can to take some of the edge off these pressures that people are feeling right around Australia.”
“The global situation is changing rapidly, but Australians can be assured their government's focus is on easing the cost-of-living pressures in the most responsible way that we can, securing our fuel supply, and getting it where it's needed most. For all of these reasons, I commend this bill to the House.”
“There are some complexities around how to put that undertaking into effect. While discussions with the states and territories are ongoing, the bill also provides additional flexibility to make further adjustments to the rate of excise if needed to give effect to this undertaking from the states on GST. And I thank them for it. The steps we are taking in this bill today are in addition to all of the actions we have already taken to date, including: Our message to Australians is clear. We hear you, we know you are under pressure and we are working to make your life a bit easier right now in the face of all of this global economic uncertainty.”
“Treasury estimates these steps may reduce headline inflation by half a percentage point through the year to the June quarter. And while it will incur a cost to the budget, the overwhelming majority of Australians, I think, will see this as money well spent. This bill will also grant the minister for transport powers to vary the heavy vehicle road user charge for the next two years, where necessary. This will ensure the minister has more flexibility to make temporary changes, allowing the heavy vehicle road user charge to be reduced to zero for three months from 1 April 2026 to help truckies and the transport industry. Following discussions at National Cabinet yesterday, the states and territories have also indicated that they are willing to give back some of the extra GST revenue that will flow from higher fuel prices.”
“This decision has been welcomed by the trucking industry, with the Australian Trucking Association saying, 'It is the lifeline that small trucking businesses need.' This temporary support will come into effect from tomorrow, but it will take a week or two to flow through to retail prices, and it will end on June 30. Australians understand that this is a short-term measure to deal with immediate and pressing challenges. The scheduled six per cent increase in the road user charge will also be deferred by my colleague, and we have called on relevant states to reflect this delay in their registration fees. By calibrating these measures in a temporary way, we will provide relief while also taking some pressure off the economy more broadly.”
“As the Prime Minister and I announced yesterday, this bill will temporarily halve the fuel excise for petrol and diesel and facilitate changes to the heavy vehicle road user charge to allow for it to be reduced to zero temporarily. And here I pay tribute to the transport minister for her work in this regard. Halving the fuel excise will cut 26.3c a litre off the cost of petrol and diesel. Including the reduction in the GST component, this will cut the cost of a 65-litre tank of fuel by nearly $19. Reducing the heavy road user charge to zero will save truckies around $130 on a 400-litre tank of fuel.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Today the Albanese Labor government is introducing the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief) Bill 2026. This bill will deliver temporary and targeted support to Australian motorists and truckies in a responsible way. The war in the Middle East is battering the global economy. Supply chains have been disrupted, equity markets have been volatile, and inflation is creeping up across the globe. Oil prices today are around twice what they were at the start of 2026 as a result of the conflict. All of this is flowing through to prices at the bowser, and Australians have been left picking up the tab. That is why we are taking steps to help shield them from some of the impacts of this war.”
“I acknowledge the work of the Assistant Treasurer in that regard as well. We are working to address some of the intergenerational issues in the budget, in the economy and in our society more broadly. I agree with the honourable member who identifies housing and tax as two of the most important areas where those intergenerational issues are most easily observed. When it comes to further steps in tax policy or housing policy, the budget is still a little ways away yet, and any further changes would be a matter for cabinet in the usual way.”
“In the tax system as well, one of the reasons why we have provided the three tax cuts that we are providing in the way that we are is so that younger workers, who are often on lower incomes at the start of their career, get a tax cut. That wouldn't have been the case had we left those original tax cuts undisturbed, and it wouldn't have been the case if those opposite had won the election and repealed our tax cuts. Also, when it comes to the intergenerational issues, that was one of the motivations behind the changes that we made to superannuation. Making superannuation fairer from top to bottom was all about making sure that the tax concessions were fairer for people who already had tens of millions of dollars in super, and we use some of the proceeds of that to boost the superannuation balances of people on lower incomes.”
“Thank you to the member for Mackellar for her question about a really important issue. The government hasn't changed its policy or position on the policies that the member raises in her question, but we do acknowledge there are intergenerational issues in our economy and in our society, including in the housing market and in the tax system. That's why, when it comes to housing, we're spending so much time and money and effort trying to build more homes. We're playing catch-up after a decade of neglect, through the good work of the housing minister, to try and build more homes so that there are more options for young people in the housing market. Also the five per cent deposits are about trying to make sure that more people can get a toehold in a difficult housing market.”
“The work that we're doing on ACCC and monitoring and all of the work that's happening when it comes to engaging with our international partners is a really important part of our plan, and so is particularly the leadership that the Prime Minister showed today in bringing the state and territory leaders together to agree on the plan for fuel security, which was released in the last hour or two. I thank the state and territory premiers as well for the indications that they have given on GST relief. We will get through this, but we all need to work together and do our bit. The announcements we've made today are all about that.”
“This government will always do what it responsibly can to help people with the cost of living and to recognise the pressures that they're under. This is a really important part of our plan to respond to the impact of the war in the Middle East, but it's not the only part of our plan. I commend my ministerial colleagues for the work that is going into boosting supply and making sure the distribution networks are as strong as they can be and making sure that our domestic refineries are encouraged to create more fuel here.”
“It will reduce the excise on petrol and diesel by 26.3c a litre. People are under cost-of-living pressure. We acknowledge that. But, more than acknowledging that, we're acting on it today. We know that that pressure in this instance is coming from the war in the Middle East. We can't end that war. Obviously, from an economic point of view, the end of the war can't come soon enough. But, in the interim, we're taking a series of responsible, decisive steps to help Australians through a particularly difficult period. What we're announcing today will reduce the cost of a 65-litre tank by around $19. When it comes to the heavy vehicle road user charge, that will save drivers about $130 on a 400-litre tank and will help take some more of the pressure off the supply chain for food and other essentials.”
“A big thankyou to the member for Corangamite, not just for the question but also for the great job she does representing the people of the Surf Coast and the Bellarine in Victoria, a beautiful part of Australia. The war in the Middle East is doing a great deal of damage to the global economy. Australians are paying a hefty price for that, at the petrol bowser and beyond, when it comes to the upward pressure on prices. What we've announced today are additional steps to try and ease some of the pressures that Australians are feeling as a consequence of that war in the Middle East. We have announced that we'll halve the fuel excise for three months from April and cut the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero. That's all about helping with the cost of living in a timely way, in a temporary way and in a responsible way.”
“So it's an important question and a big part of the work that we're doing, but not the only part of the work that we're doing, to make sure the ACCC can look after the interests of our motorists and truckies.”
“We allowed the ACCC to issue on-the-spot fines. Just recently in the parliament we increased penalties further, to up to $100 million, and that's because we share the concerns which are legitimately raised that, at a time of extraordinary price volatility in global oil markets and Australian petrol markets, the onus is on us to prevent the kind of gouging that the member for Kooyong is talking about. Similarly, I've just actually signed a letter in the last half hour or so to make sure that the ACCC is particularly attentive to the change that we announced this afternoon to make sure that the benefits of the change to the fuel excise are passed on to Australian motorists and truckies and to make sure that they're doing the right thing there as well.”
“I'll come to the member for Kooyong's question. But the Deputy Prime Minister's from a fighting family, and he'll want me to say hello to the Volk, who's up there in the crowd. Thank you for joining us today. This is obviously a very important question that the member for Kooyong asked, because it goes to our efforts to make sure that fuel suppliers and retailers aren't doing the wrong thing by Australian motorists and Australian truckies, and that's why we have substantially increased the powers of the ACCC and the penalties of the ACCC—so that they can come down like a tonne of bricks on anyone who is doing the wrong thing in our fuel markets. In doing that, we're coming after the sources of some of that gouging that the member is right to be concerned about. When we came to office, we increased the penalties.”
“You'd think, with how long they gave him to come up with his first question in quite a while, that he'd come up with a better question than that. Let me tell the shadow Treasurer the key difference between the approach that we announced today and the letter that they wrote the Prime Minister on Friday. The main difference is that, in the plan that we announced today, we didn't forget the heavy-vehicle users like those opposite did. Those opposite called for a $1½ billion change which completely ignored the fact that heavy vehicles were paying 34c a litre. That's how they came up with the costing of 1½ when the costing is a bit more like 2½.”
“This new provision will only be available to the following entities: Like existing AFM arrangements, funds will only be allocated if the Minister for Finance is satisfied applications meet strict criteria—including that there is an urgent need and that this need was previously unforeseen. We are living in extremely uncertain times, and, from an economic point of view, it's clear that this war cannot end soon enough. But until that happens, we have a responsibility to take measured and mature steps to shield our economy and the Australian people. These bills are an important part of that. The new steps announced today are in addition to all of the action we are already taking to address the impacts of the war, including: I commend bill No. 1 to the House.”
“They will establish a new $2 billion advance to the finance minister provision to enable funding for fuel security response measures that are urgent, unforeseen, and unable to be funded through existing funding. Bill No. 1 seeks an appropriation authority of $800 million, and bill No. 2 seeks an appropriation authority of $1.2 billion. These are not commitments to new expenditure. Instead, they establish a safety net for the next three months until the end of the current financial year, in case specific government departments require urgent funding to deal with fuel security challenges.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Today, the government introduces the 2025-26 fuel security response appropriation bills. These bills are: These bills are all about ensuring we are prepared and best positioned to deal with the very real challenges we are facing. The war in the Middle East is causing huge disruptions to global fuel supply chains. Australians are seeing the consequences of this foreign war here, with high oil prices flowing through to the bowser and localised shortages, especially in regional, rural and remote areas. The bills I am introducing today are about giving government the flexibility to continue addressing these challenges in a timely way over the coming months.”
“The shadow Treasurer has spent recent weeks betting against Australia on the share market, getting the fuel excise wrong and behaving in here like some kind of karaoke clown. But we have been dealing with these serious issues in a serious way. The tax cuts are part of that. Our efforts in fuel markets are part of that, and our efforts to get a decent pay rise for award workers are as well.”
“Today is not the first time the member for Hume has voted against the interests of Australians who are under pressure. As it turns out, today is the one-year anniversary of when the member for Hume got all those colleagues to vote against tax cuts for 14 million Australian workers. And, one year ago tomorrow, he promised that if he was the Treasurer of this country he would repeal those tax cuts for 14 million Australians. He took to the election a policy of higher taxes, bigger deficits and more debt. If he had his way, Australians would be worse off, and the budget would be weaker. And we know they haven't learned a thing from the last election. We know they haven't changed a bit, because they then went and made him the Leader of the Opposition. But his successor as shadow Treasurer is no better.”
“We are doing what we can to ensure that the war is no excuse to rip people off at the bowser. That's why the increases to the penalties that passed the House today, and hopefully will pass the Senate this arvo, are so important, to make sure Australian motorists aren't being treated as mugs. That legislation passed the House earlier today despite the bizarre efforts we saw from the opposition. They came in here this morning, they suspended standing orders, they demanded that it be considered immediately—and then they voted against it! They gave angry speeches about how urgent it was, and then they voted to delay it. And it gets worse. When it came time for the final vote, when it came time to support the motorists and drivers of this country, they literally scurried out of the chamber. Doesn't that say it all?”
“The member for Tangney is a much loved and respected member of our team, and I'm very grateful to him for the question. As the employment minister was saying a moment ago, the government's submission to the annual wage review today is all about a decent pay rise to help Australian workers on awards with the cost of living. We know that people are under pressure. We saw that in the inflation and confidence numbers this week. We know they're worried about developments in the Middle East and what that means for us, especially when it comes to fuel. From a purely economic and markets point of view, the end of the war in the Middle East can't come soon enough. But, in the interim, we are working very hard, engaging with suppliers, regulators, industries and states and with our international partners to secure supply.”
“We know the honourable member has a particular interest in medical research—as does the member for Melbourne, who has been engaging with us in her characteristically diligent and dedicated way, representing the wonderful researchers in the community of Melbourne. We'll continue to work with the member for Melbourne and any members in this place with an interest in making sure we make the most out of research, development and innovation. We understand the fundamental and central role it will continue to play in our economy as we try and meet these economic objectives of a much more productive economy with higher living standards in the future.”
“I'm answering the question in the absence of Minister Conroy. As I indicated the other day, the government takes the recommendations of the strategic review very seriously. In fact, I met with Robyn Denholm and other members of the panel—Ian Chubb and others—this morning, as it turns out, to talk about the recommendations—and the PM, similarly. That's because we understand the central role of research, development and innovation in the productivity challenge we have. Productivity came up last year—it grew a bit faster than the 20-year average—but isn't growing fast enough to lift living standards into the future. We're working through the 20 recommendations. When it comes to the council that the honourable member refers to, Minister Ayres, in the other place, working with a number of colleagues, is working out the best way forward.”
“At times like this, when there's an extraordinary amount of global economic uncertainty—we know that the main driver of that is this oil shock coming out of the war in the Middle East—we're working on a whole range of fronts to address those challenges, and a big part of that are the efforts that we're all putting into our domestic industry.”
“More than recognising that, we're investing in it. Once again, at the Lytton refinery, the energy minister and I announced $1.1 billion for our Cleaner Fuels Program, which is to invest in low-carbon liquid fuel production in Australia, consistent with the kinds of goals that the member for Kennedy has. That's on top of the $250 million in innovation funding under the Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund. He's right that we don't have a mandate, but the relevant departments and authorities have been working to see whether we could implement one in the future, making sure that we factor in things like safety and quality. Again, that's all about supporting our local fuels industry.”
“Thanks to the member for Kennedy for his question. The government is working very hard to make sure that there is enough fuel reaching regional and other communities in our country, and a big part of that is making sure that we have the refining capacity that we need. I pay tribute to the work of the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, who, just on Friday in my neck of the woods, was making it easier for our local refineries to access the support that they need—the two remaining refineries, after the Leader of the Opposition waved another four of them goodbye when he was the energy minister. Locally produced fuel is a big part of the government's efforts to deal with the consequences of what we're seeing out of the Middle East. We also recognise how important ethanol is to our domestic fuel supply.”
“If you're looking for evidence that they haven't learned and they haven't changed, they took the member for Hume, who opposes our tax cuts, and made him the Leader of the Opposition.”
“These numbers are also a reminder of why our cost-of-living help is so important—cheaper medicines, more bulk billing, student debt relief and the like—but especially when it comes to the tax cuts that will be rolling out in our economy in July and then the July after. Our three tax cuts together mean an average worker gets about an extra $50 a week to help with the cost of living. This is especially important today, because today is the one year anniversary of the 2025 budget. That means it's the one year anniversary of the member for Hume standing up after the budget and saying he opposes our tax cuts. Tomorrow's the anniversary of him voting against those tax cuts, and Friday's the anniversary of him saying that they would repeal these tax cuts.”
“With Australians still under pressure despite this welcome easing of inflation in our economy in February, it's really more important than ever that we do the work that we're doing to get more fuel supply and to make sure the ACCC has the powers to police their suppliers and the retailers, we engage with industry to get fuel where it's needed and we engage with our international partners—in ways described by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy a moment ago—to make sure that we're doing whatever we can to ensure that Australians who are under pressure at the petrol pump are getting supported by this government. It's also why it's so important we're managing the budget responsibly—a couple of surpluses, getting the Liberal debt down, banking upward revisions to revenue—a budget which is $233 billion stronger since we came to office.”
“This reflects a mix of temporary factors, like the end of the energy rebates, and some more persistent factors as well. Treasury estimates that around three-quarters of the increase in inflation since the middle of last year reflects temporary factors.”
“The member for Holt is a wonderful local member and a really key part of our team. She understands the cost-of-living pressures being felt in her community and around Australia. Today we got the new inflation numbers for February. What those numbers showed is that inflation eased a little bit in February. It's still higher than we would like, but we also know and understand that the conflict in the Middle East will push that inflation higher and for longer. It is pleasing to see that inflation came off a little bit in February, but we know that there are a lot of challenges in the global economy and in our own economy, and that's the government's focus. Headline inflation was flat in the month. It was down to 3.7 through the year. Underlying inflation was 3.3 per cent through the year.”
“Backed by our $900 million National Productivity Fund, we're working with the states and territories on: This is all about making sure that Australian families get a fair go and easing the pressure where we can. Again, our message to fuel companies is very clear. If you do the right thing by your customers, our government is here to support you and work with you. But if you take advantage of foreign conflicts and take Australians for mugs, the ACCC will throw the book at you. That's what these laws are all about. Full details of the measure are contained in the explanatory memorandum. I commend this bill to the House. Debate adjourned.”
“We're introducing unfair trading practice arrangements to protect consumers and small businesses, including farmers and producers. We've increased ACCC funding by over $30 million to go after supermarkets using misleading pricing tactics. We're strengthening the Unit Pricing Code to tackle shrinkflation. We've made the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct mandatory, with tough penalties to stop supermarkets from unfairly squeezing suppliers. We're reforming non-compete clauses and other employment restraints. We're extending the right to repair to agricultural machinery. We're making it easier for new businesses to enter the market by incentivising the states and territories to cut commercial and industrial planning and zoning red tape under the revitalised National Competition Policy.”
“The ACCC has been clear that they won't hesitate to take action to protect consumers and markets, and they'll seek the highest penalties appropriate in any case that they take to court. This bill is an important way that we are protecting consumers and securing Australia's fuel security, but it's not the only way. We have already: This bill also brings Australia's competition law penalties into closer alignment with comparable economies. It's the latest step in our strong record of competition and consumer reforms since coming to government in 2022. Here, I want to pay tribute to the assistant minister, who does an absolute mountain of work when it comes to our competition policy settings in this country. We've already legislated the single biggest reform to Australia's merger laws in 50 years, for example.”
“Our message to petrol retailers has been very clear: you are on notice; do not use the conflict to take advantage of Australians. Now they'll face penalties of up to $100 million per offence if they do. These penalties apply across the economy. This will help ensure that all retailers and suppliers, from fuel companies to supermarkets and the entire supply chain in between, do not use the war in the Middle East as an excuse for illegal and unfair pricing. The states and territories share the Albanese government's sense of urgency here. Reforms to the Australian Consumer Law require the agreement of the states and territories, and I want to thank every single one of them for very swiftly confirming their agreement to support these reforms.”
“I move: That this bill be now read a second time. Today, we introduce the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026. This bill amends the Competition and Consumer Act 2010to double maximum penalties for misconduct under competition law and the Australian Consumer Law from $50 million to $100 million. These laws help tackle price gouging at its source, outlawing: The even stronger penalties that we are introducing will empower the ACCC to throw the book at any companies who illegally and unfairly increase their prices. Since the start of the war, we have seen much higher prices for petrol and diesel across the country. It has put more pressure on motorists and families who are already doing it tough.”
“The safety net reduction—$5.8 million in savings across 773,000 scripts. The Medicare urgent care clinic in Liverpool—I pay tribute to the health minister and the Prime Minister for delivering that. There are new bulk-billing clinics, including nine additional practices in the member for Fowler's electorate. We're providing cost-of-living help in other ways, and I've concluded my answer.”
“For the bulk of my answer, I refer the honourable member to the answer I gave to her colleague the member for Mayo. In addition, I point out, in acknowledging the very real cost-of-living pressures being felt in Fowler and indeed around the country, that the government is providing cost-of-living relief in a number of different ways to her local community. Sixty-five thousand taxpayers are getting a tax cut—actually, getting two more tax cuts because of this government. Those opposite voted against them and said they'd repeal them. About 8,000 people in her community are getting a boost to their superannuation. More than 23,000 people are getting student debt relief. When it comes to the PBS co-payment reduction—more than $5.9 million in savings in her electorate alone across 416,000 scripts.”
“They had the opportunity to support some sensible measures to make it easier for Australia to deal with and respond to threats to our fuel security, and they voted against it. I call on them to not make the same mistake again when it comes to bigger penalties for servos and suppliers who are doing the wrong thing. We call on them to back this bill to put in place higher penalties for petrol companies and to protect motorists. Our legislation is all about a fair go for Australians at the petrol pump.”
“Late last year we also legislated to strengthen Australia's fuel security, and the explanatory memorandum of our legislation said, 'It would ensure the government is well placed to efficiently respond to potential shortages of critical fuels.' The bill amended the Minimum Stockholding Obligation to help us manage critical fuel shortages. It facilitated more information gathering. It was about fuel related products critical to Australia's trucking industry, diesel exhaust fluid and technical grade urea. It was all about making sure that we could respond to situations like this. I remind the House that those opposite voted against fuel security at the end of last year.”
“We are putting the petrol companies on notice. Our new laws will double the penalties for false or misleading conduct and cartel behaviour to a maximum of $100 million per offence. That means bigger penalties for any servos and suppliers that rip off Australian motorists. It's on top of all of the other action we're taking to address fuel affordability and security, supporting our refineries, as the minister said; boosting fuel supply; getting more fuel into the market; working with industry and international partners; and empowering the ACCC.”
“Mr Speaker, I hope it's okay that I also shout-out the National Schools Constitutional Convention friends who've joined us today. I thank the member for Macarthur for his question. As a wonderful local member in an outer-metro community a bit like mine, I know that he understands the pressures that people are feeling right around Australia. Australians are under cost-of-living pressure, and the conflict in the Middle East is adding to that pressure. We recognise that, and, more than recognising that, we're taking action to help address it. Tomorrow, as the Minister for Climate Change and Energy said, we'll introduce new legislation to help consumers get a fair go at the petrol pump, with bigger penalties for misconduct in the fuel sector. The conflict overseas is no excuse for suppliers or servos to take advantage of Australians.”