QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Mr ALBANESE (Grayndler—Prime Minister) (14:33): I thank the member for his question. Indeed, April was a time, prior to Easter, where some of those opposite were actually calling for restrictions on fuel. They were calling for the odds-and-evens system to come back.
They were saying that there would be shortages of fuel. And, yes, I did a national address that made a difference in encouraging people to not take more than they needed because, at that time, we had a demand surge. What we did was work constructively with organisations such as the business community, the National Farmers' Federation and others to bring together a taskforce that dealt with our states and territories.
The primary concern, first and foremost, was to ensure that we had enough fuel supplies. By establishing the mechanisms, by making sure we go out there and purchase fuel on the spot market, we have—in spite of the fact that this conflict in the Middle East and problems with the Strait of Hormuz have gone on for longer than was anticipated when the conflict broke out, when there was talk of it being weeks, but we are now many, many months into this conflict, with no end in sight—ensured that farmers are able to sow their crops and to harvest at the end as well— Mr ALBANESE: Thanks very much, Mr Speaker, I was asked about April.
But it is no wonder that they can't find anyone in the National Party to be leader in the House of Representatives! None of them are up to it. Mr ALBANESE: And the worse he's going, the more he babbles!
Now, what we have done is ensure supply. That's the first thing. If you don't have supply, price really doesn't come into it.
And they said there wouldn't be supply, in April. But when it comes to the questions, they stand here and ask about fiscal policy and ask about savings, and then they ask, 'Why don't you spend more money?' That is what they are saying. We have made sure we have supply in this country.
We will respond in a fiscally responsible way as we go forward, as we always have.