Mr GREG WARREN (Campbelltown) (11:53): My question is addressed to the Premier. Will the Premier update the House on this morning's National Cabinet on fuel security and the steps being undertaken by the New South Wales Government to protect access to fuel in our great State?

Mr CHRIS MINNS (Kogarah—Premier) (11:53): I thank the member for Campbelltown for his question. It is near on unprecedented to have an oil shock affecting global supplies of oil, petrol, jet fuel and diesel for the domestic market, and jurisdictions and economies around the world. Australia is not immune from that. Being at the end of the supply chain in the Asian market, those pressures are particularly intense. To be clear, as a result of the Federal Government making more supplies available and ensuring that we had greater availability of onsite petroleum, no scheduled arrivals of petroleum or energy have been cancelled as a result of the crisis so far.

I also report to the House that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will investigate any abuse of market power by any actors in the fuel supply chain. They have doubled the penalties for breaches of those Acts. We will not allow gouging up and down the supply chain and must be vigilant against it. In the first instance, it directly affects farmers and those in the primary producing industries and then, ultimately, affects all consumers as the price of groceries and food exponentially increases. We support the Federal Government's decision to allow, on a limited basis, a higher sulphur content in fuel that would ordinarily be exported to other markets to be used for domestic use in Australia. We also support the decision to make 20 per cent of fuel reserves available for consumers in Australian and New South Wales.

At the National Cabinet, we agreed to work in a coordinated way across jurisdictions for the days and weeks ahead. Members of the House would be aware that as a result of the New South Wales energy Minister's decision to convene an industry round table earlier in the week, the Government will also take steps to ensure that fuel retailers are using the FuelCheck app so that we can be sure of unavailability, particularly of diesel, in regional communities. As it stands today, around 80 petrol stations—primarily independent petrol stations—do not have access to diesel; around half that number do not have access to any fuel. Considering that there have been no cancellations of inbound fuel transports, an increase in the fuel reserve for the domestic market, and the sulphur content has been relaxed for increased consumption, there should be enough fuel for the New South Wales market. Although, undeniably, we are seeing shortfalls and limited supply in some markets. [Extension of time]

Firstly, it is important that consumers—particularly those who live in regional communities—buy petrol when they need it, especially for their business, but that they do not overconsume it because that will come, or may come, at the expense of a neighbour or another member of the community who might need access to petrol. I am not blaming anyone. I understand that people have businesses to run and that the future is uncertain, but overconsuming has a practical effect, particularly on people who live in a regional community. Additionally, if people store petrol in unsafe containers, they are potentially putting themselves, a member of the community or the emergency services in danger.

Secondly, this is particularly acute for independent petrol stations that purchase their supplies on the spot market. We have seen anecdotal information that suggests that some of those retailers are seeing supplies go to some of the major oil importers, but they are unable to execute that sale or contract. We want to understand why. We will speak with the oil industry to ensure that they are distributing that oil, that petrol, that diesel to regional, independent petrol stations, particularly in New South Wales. As I said, these are unprecedented times. The ability for us to control the conflict in the Persian Gulf is negligible—in fact, nothing—so we have to be prepared for the future. The people of New South Wales can rest assured that we will work across jurisdictions and States, with the Federal Government, to coordinate the Government's approach to this fuel supply issue across the marketplace. We will do everything we can to ease the pressure for consumers, businesses and families in New South Wales.