QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:12): Senator McGrath identifies one of the many problems that the government has been seeking to address, and that is the downstream effects, the knock-on effects, of a lack of supply in fuel to many parts of the economy but, of particular importance, to Australian agriculture, and that is correct.

That is why the government has been working on additional supply not only in the work that Minister Bowen has done over a number of weeks but in the announcement that the Prime Minister and the minister made over the weekend, which will enable the underwriting of private-sector purchases of fuel. That is all about securing additional fuel for our economy. It is an additional supply measure, precisely because we recognise that we need fuel throughout our economy.

We also recognise particularly, as Senator McGrath says, the impact of any lack of supply or inconsistency of supply on particular industries, including agriculture. The National Fuel Security Plan goes through how state and territory governments will work with us. The PRESIDENT: Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

Senator McGrath? Senator McGrath: On a point of order in relation to relevance, the question was in relation to grain farmers halving their planting. I am wondering if the minister could address that.

The PRESIDENT: The minister is being relevant to your question, Senator McGrath, and I'll continue to listen carefully. Senator WONG: You asked about the impact on agriculture of fuel security, and I answered by talking about fuel security and more supply. If you do not think that is relevant, it says something about the opposition's lack of understanding of the policy challenges—the lack of understanding of those opposite about the policy challenges that the country faces.

What we are seeking to do is to secure more supply. What we are seeking to do is to secure more— Senator McKenzie interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Minister Wong, have you concluded?

Senator WONG: What we are seeking to do is to secure more supply for farmers, for regional communities and for the country, and that is because we understand the consequences of not doing so. That is the announcement that we have made, and the fuel security— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator McGrath, first supplementary?