Tuesday, 31 March 2026

 Bev McARTHUR (Western Victoria) (12:50): (2265) My question is to the Minister for Agriculture. My constituent Andrew, a farmer, tells me that since hostilities began in the Middle East the price of urea, on which his cropping program depends, has increased by 84 per cent, on top of a 7 per cent rise in his other fertiliser costs, not over a quarter of a year but in barely four weeks. Australia imports virtually all its urea, over half from the Persian Gulf, and has no domestic production capacity. The Victorian Farmers Federation president says the federal fuel excise cut does nothing at the farm gate, and farmers remain at the back of the queue. The government found $71 million for a month of free trams in Melbourne. What has the minister done to ensure Victorian grain producers can access affordable fertiliser and fuel to complete the winter sowing season?