Wednesday, 18 March 2026

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:51): (2233) My question is for the Minister for Energy and Resources. Farmers and agricultural businesses in western Victoria are heavily reliant on consistent diesel supply to maintain their operations, particularly during seeding and harvest periods. My constituents are increasingly concerned about the current uncertainty around global fuel supply chains. Noting the powers available to the Victorian government under the Fuel Emergency Act 1977, can the minister outline what contingency planning is in place to ensure continuity of fuel supply to regional agricultural communities in the hopefully unlikely event that the current situation were to deteriorate? What discussions are taking place with federal counterparts, and has the government yet given specific consideration to how essential primary production activities would be supported should a sustained disruption to liquid fuel imports occur?