Thursday, 19 March 2026

Questions without notice and ministers statements

Fuel supply

Emma KEALY, Ros SPENCE
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Fuel supply

 Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:29): My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. Aaron from the Wimmera contacted me this morning to say, just weeks away from seeding, he only has enough diesel to put in a quarter of his crop. No fuel means no food. What action has the minister taken to ensure farmers can access the diesel they need to feed our state?

Paul Edbrooke interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Frankston can leave the chamber for an hour.

Member for Frankston withdrew from chamber.

Ros SPENCE: There is no doubt that the diesel shortages are causing a lot of distress across not just the state but the country. Indeed New South Wales and Queensland are faring very badly at the moment. That does not take anything away from the concerns in Victoria. We know that 84 per cent of on-farm energy is from diesel, and with those costs increasing around 30 per cent that is a massive burden that farmers are needing to bear. That is why the Premier convened me, the minister for energy, the Minister for Consumer Affairs and the Minister for Ports and Freight to meet on Monday, and on Tuesday the SEMC met. Since then, the Premier has taken that issue to national cabinet as well. We will keep working on this. It is a very important issue.

 Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:31): Minister, meetings do not deliver diesel for our farmers, like Aaron, who contacted me late last night. What is the risk to food supply and increased prices on our supermarket shelves if low or no access to diesel stops farming from today?

 Ros SPENCE (Kalkallo – Minister for Agriculture, Minister for Community Sport, Minister for Carers and Volunteers, Minister for Treaty and First Peoples) (14:31): I thank the member. I can assure her that farming has not stopped as of today, and we will continue to work with the agriculture sector because this is critically important.

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