I want to provide a direct quote from Mr Parvo Walker of Walker Seafoods Queensland. Walker Seafoods Queensland is the largest harvester fishery dealing with the capture of wild tuna. They operate five vessels, employ six skippers, and have over 50 staff — they are a substantial organisation. They catch and process export‑grade tuna.
This is what Mr Parvo Walker of Walker Seafoods Queensland says, and I quote:
“The eastern seaboard of Australia is running out of fuel. No one can guarantee us any fuel for our fishing vessels. We’ve got no fuel, so we can’t go to sea and we can’t catch fish.”
End quote.
If you want direct evidence of people running out of fuel, how is that for direct evidence? The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Walker Seafoods Queensland — a company with five vessels, six skippers, and over 50 staff — says they do not have the fuel they need to go to sea to catch fish. That is the issue. And no one can tell them when they are going to get the fuel. There is a fuel supply problem. That is what people in my home state of Queensland are telling me.
I would also like to quote the Deputy Premier of Queensland regarding the federal government’s response. The Deputy Premier is on the front line dealing with the tsunami of inquiries coming from the agricultural sector, the fisheries sector, and others into the state government.
This is what the Deputy Premier of Queensland says, and I quote:
“Supply of fuel is a federal responsibility, and the Federal Labor Government have not been doing enough.”
He went on to say:
“We are absolutely calling on the federal government to explain how much fuel supply is in Queensland, where it is being distributed, and to guarantee that the bowsers will be filled.”
That is what the Deputy Premier of Queensland is calling upon the Federal Labor Government to do. It is our obligation — our obligation to the people of our home states — to come into this place and hold the federal government accountable for its responsibilities with respect to fuel supply.
We would not be doing our jobs if we were not telling the stories of people like Mr Parvo Walker of Walker Seafoods, or if my friend Senator Matt O’Sullivan from Western Australia were not telling the story of the owner of the roadhouse that has run out of fuel in regional Western Australia. It is our obligation to hold the government to account. It is our obligation to convey to the government what is happening on the ground — and this is happening on the ground.
So do not come into this place and tell us that we are the ones spreading misinformation. How absurd. Pick up the phone, if you like, and ring Mr Parvo Walker of Walker Seafoods. Have the conversation with him. Tell him about misinformation. He has five trawlers all sitting in dock waiting for fuel. He cannot take them to sea. He has six skippers and 50 staff who are ready, willing, and able to generate wealth for this country — but they cannot get the fuel.
There is a major problem at the moment, and it is demonstrated, indicated, and evidenced by the facts — the facts. So do not come into this place and shoot the messenger. Focus instead on doing your job. And your job is to manage the fuel supply in this country.
If you had the fuel stocks that Senator Stirl referred to, then why are we having these problems? Why are we having these problems in regional Queensland? You should have anticipated this. When the conflict broke out in the Middle East, when the Strait of Hormuz was closed, you should have anticipated that there would be a change in the pattern of demand — as the Leader of the Senate referred to. Of course there was going to be a change in demand. It always happens when you have fuel shortages, conflicts involving major fuel‑supplying countries, and prices going through the roof. You should have anticipated it
