On 28 May 2026, I asked the Prime Minister a Question on Allowing a Gas Tax Conscience Vote.
Transcript:
Ms WATSON-BROWN (Ryan)
Thank you Speaker, my question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister allow a conscience vote on a 25% gas export tax?
ALBANESE
I belong to the Australian Labor Party. What we're doing when it comes to these issues of energy, firstly, is securing Australia's fuel supply, which those opposite- the member who asked the question mightn't be conscious of the war in the Middle East and the impact that it's having on fuel supplies right around the world, not the least of which is here, but we certainly are. And it's quite remarkable that today, we have more petrol than we had on February 28, we have more diesel than we had on February 28, and indeed, we have more jet fuel than we had on February 28, as well.
We have worked with industry, and in spite of the fire at the Geelong refinery, it has exceeded expectations. People might recall that prior to Easter, we had people turning up at petrol stations, filling up jerry cans and putting them in their garage. We had businesses...
I say to the member, with respect, that most people recognise, who've looked at this issue for more than a nanosecond, recognise that the connection between Australia being a secure supplier of energy in our region, is one of the things that has led to us being a secure receiver of energy in our region, as well. And that at a time where we have a global crisis, as a result of the war in the Middle East, then to just dismiss that, and pretend that that is not happening, is something that I... it's on the news every day. It's not a secret war, it's not secret that the Strait of Hormuz is shut and it's not secret that that is having an impact here. It also is not a secret because we have declared that this is our absolute priority, and quite frankly the achievements that have been done, with the support of industry, through Export Finance Australia, through working with our refineries, through working with our suppliers, has been quite extraordinary. I take the opportunity to thank Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, South Korea, Malaysia and China for the cooperative way in which we've delivered. I'll tell you what: someone who turns up at a petrol station and there's no fuel, that's when you have a big issue, because it's so important as well for our agricultural sector.