QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator AYRES (New South Wales—Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science) (14:48): Thank you, Senator Dolega. I'd just like to take a moment to acknowledge the young worker union members from the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association of Australia who've come to talk to us about their experience working in retail all over Australia.

From the outset of the war in the Middle East, this government has worked hard to shield Australians from its worst impacts. Although the conflict is on the other side of the world, the impacts have been felt here in terms of prices and supply. However, since 28 February, we have seen in Australia an increase in the amount of fuel that is available to Australians before the conflict.

On Saturday, Minister Bowen outlined that Australia has 44 days worth of petrol, which is eight days more than when the conflict began; 39 days worth of diesel, seven days more than 28 February; and 32 days worth of jet fuel, three days more than 28 February. In the last week we have reached the highest level of fuel held in Australia since the minimum stockholding obligation came into force in 2023.

Fifty-one ships are on the way to Australia, and 3.9 billion litres of fuel is contracted to be delivered here over the next four weeks. They're very quiet over there. When the war started, what these characters were on about was sowing division and trying to create fear in the community.

But can anybody imagine that Mr Taylor or Mr Canavan or any of these people could have ever picked up the phone and delivered a litre of fuel, let alone shiploads of fuel, or delivered a litre of diesel, let alone shiploads of diesel for Australian farmers and Australian industries? The PRESIDENT: Senator Dolega, first supplementary?