Mallee residents and farmers contacted me during this sitting fortnight in Canberra. They are very concerned about rising local fuel prices, fuel shortages and reports that vital farm fuel supplies are not getting through to parts of the electorate.  Farmers can’t spray, sow or treat their crops without diesel supply. I spoke in the House and shared urgent concerns that the Albanese Labor government needs to act, particularly to preserve our food security.  Without diesel, Australia starves. Sowing, spraying, harvesting and other farm machinery depend on diesel supply.  Farms are weather-dependent and many events on-farm can’t just wait until fuel arrives.

Energy Minister Bowen claimed there are no supply issues, and he has written a letter to the ACCC. A letter!  Mallee is telling me fuel is running out, and prices are spiking even though supply is supposedly ‘secure’. Labor cannot see beyond the metropolitan boundaries – Labor try to make us invisible and shut their ears to their concerns.

In the House I recalled how Labor used the Russia-Ukraine conflict to justify breaking the promise they made 97 times, that your energy bills would be $275 lower. They are, in fact, over $1,300 higher.  Now, Labor are blaming Australians for buying fuel.  Australians are buying fuel because they have no confidence in the government’s promises to look out for them.

The Nationals’ leadership team changed this sitting week.  David Littleproud MP walked us out of net zero, the same net zero Barnaby Joyce had walked us into.  David led us on a position on the Voice, on nuclear energy, on strong divestiture powers to keep big supermarkets accountable, and on a Coalition agreement that locks in future funding and telecommunications coverage for regional Australians.

I proudly stood with David and my Nationals colleagues on all of those positions, and I am saddened that fighting for good policy has taken such a toll that David has stepped down to be with his family.

I am confident new Nationals leader Matt Canavan will continue in David’s footsteps of strong policy leadership reflecting the views of regional Australians.