QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Senator McALLISTER (New South Wales—Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) (14:13): Thank you, Senator Ruston, for the question. I can inform the chamber that this is an issue that is being monitored closely by Minister Rae. Global uncertainty is causing real anxiety at home, and Minister Rae is closely monitoring the impact on aged-care providers.
Providers can seek support through existing aged-care business and viability supports that are offered through the department, and the government stands ready to provide that support through the Market Adjustment Program through dedicated— Senator Ruston: President, on a point of relevance, I actually asked whether the aged-care workers were excluded under the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act.
I was wondering if the minister could answer that question. The PRESIDENT: The minister is being relevant to your question. I will continue to listen closely.
Senator McALLISTER: As I was indicating, the minister is keenly attuned to the issues that the senator raises in her question. The minister is monitoring the situation closely and has confirmed that there are a range of existing programs that the department offers to aged-care providers to assist them. They include—and I was running through these before Senator Ruston made her point of order—the Market Adjustment Program, dedicated First Nations support programs, and business and workforce advisory services.
It is incredibly important that all Australians understand the steps that are being taken by the government to manage what is a difficult situation internationally, which, of course, is flowing through to Australians. The government has doubled the penalties for false or misleading conduct in the fuel market, tasked the ACCC to ramp up fuel monitoring, announced a temporary reduction of the minimum stockholding obligation for diesel and petrol, and established the Fuel Supply Taskforce to coordinate a national response to fuel security and supply chain issues.
The PRESIDENT: Senator Ruston, first supplementary?