Leader of The Nationals WA Shane Love MLA has welcomed the Cook Labor Government finally acknowledging concerns about Western Australia’s fuel security by convening the Fuel Security Roundtable.
However, Mr Love said the Premier’s seven-point plan fails to guarantee improved fuel security for regional Western Australia or outline practical measures to address ongoing shortages.
“The State Government hasn’t provided any concrete actions to increase fuel supply to regional Western Australia, it’s just an aspirational hope that fuel companies will divert supply away from the city,” Mr Love said.
“One of the most serious unanswered questions is how independent fuel suppliers will gain access to bulk fuel to continue supplying farmers, pastoralists, smaller mining operations, and regional businesses across Western Australia”
“If independent suppliers cannot access bulk fuel, farmers simply cannot get diesel to run their operations.”
“Farmers and primary producers need to know exactly when diesel will start flowing back into the regions,” Mr Love said.
“Farmers are being quoted four to six weeks for diesel deliveries, but agriculture cannot wait that long.
“Pilbara roadhouses cannot simply hope trucks arrive by Monday.
“Regional businesses and freight operators need certainty that fuel will reach them within days, not weeks.”
Mr Love said the Government should stop claiming businesses, such as farmers, are panic buying.
“This isn’t panic buying — it’s sensible planning by business owners who feed the world and need to keep their operations running,” he said.
“Farmers purchase tens of thousands of litres of fuel at this time of year as part of their normal preparations ahead of seeding.”
Mr Love said it is also ludicrous that service stations are being left to implement their own rationing arrangements.
“The Government should be implementing a consistent statewide approach to ensure fuel goes first to emergency services, freight operators and primary industries, not suburban households filling jerry cans.” “
Mr Love said it was also deeply concerning that Western Australia remains heavily reliant on imported refined fuel, with most of the State’s supply coming through Singapore.
“With the majority of WA’s fuel refined in Singapore, the Government should be doing everything possible to strengthen that relationship and guarantee supply,” he said.
“If the Premier is serious about fuel security, he should be on a plane to Singapore making sure Western Australia has guaranteed access to supply that lasts longer than the current three-week buffer.”
Mr Love said Western Australia should never have been placed in a position where farmers, transport operators and regional communities are uncertain whether they will have fuel to keep operating.
“Western Australia is one of the world’s great energy producers, yet this Government has allowed our fuel security to become dangerously fragile,” he said.
“Regional Western Australians need fuel back in the system before businesses and essential services grind to a halt.”