ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Thanks for joining us. I’m joined today by Anthea Harris, who we have just appointed the Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator.
Since the conflict began a fortnight ago, my Government has been working to protect Australians from the effects of the Middle East war. We've already taken a number of significant and indeed unprecedented actions. This morning, I convened the National Cabinet to address fuel security and supply chain preparedness in Australia in response to the conflict in the Middle East. And I thank the premiers and chief ministers who attended this meeting, every one of them at very short notice. And there was a good feeling of common purpose expressed during that meeting.
I want to assure Australians at this time that Australia is well prepared. Our fuel supply is currently secure. However, I want us to be overprepared. I understand there are Australians in some parts of our nation that are really worried as they watch what is unfolding in the Middle East, and that is understandable. But we're doing all that we can to secure our fuel supply and to get it to the places that need it. I again reiterate today, my message to Australians is please do not take more fuel than you need. That is how you can help. It's the Australian way to think of others, to think of their neighbours, their community and also to think of the national interest. Only take what you need.
Today, National Cabinet acknowledged that the longer the conflict in the Middle East goes, the more significant the impact will be for global supply chains, fuel prices and the wider economy. And it's also understood by Australians that this is a global issue that we are dealing with. The conflict is an unprecedented shock to global energy markets. The International Energy Agency has called it the biggest in history. Already, Australians are feeling the consequences of this. And I'm deeply concerned by attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure, including the latest overnight in Qatar. We condemn Iran's ongoing and reckless reprisal attacks in countries across the region who are not parties to this conflict. We do not want to see the conflict escalate further.
Today, the Commonwealth has appointed Anthea Harris, who joins me here, as the Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator to support coordination across governments and sectors. And there will be agreement, every state and territory will appoint someone to work with Ms Harris to make sure that we maximise the coordinated effort during this time. Ms Harris is formerly the CEO of the Australian Energy Regulator and the former Chief Executive Officer of the Energy Security Board. Prior to this she was Deputy Secretary of the Energy Group within the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. So, I can't think of anyone better with more experience, more knowledge, as well as that experience in a state government to be able to coordinate these efforts.
The Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator will be responsible for the following: leading a new Fuel Supply Taskforce that will be established in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet; driving coordination between the Commonwealth and the States and Territories on fuel security and supply chain resilience; providing consistent, coordinated updates to the Commonwealth and States and Territories on our fuel supply outlook; and acting as a single convening point for fuel supply and forward planning. This is a sensible measure to put in place. The Commonwealth Government is of course responsible for fuel security and supply, but it is the States and Territories that are responsible for distribution of are within their jurisdictions. The best outcome is to ensure that Australia is overprepared, and today's announcement reinforces that approach.
Since the conflict commenced two weeks ago, my Government has taken swift action. We've released up to 20 per cent of our diesel and fuel reserves to help address regional shortages. And part of that announcement was that the increase in supply goes to areas of need. We've temporarily amended the national fuel standards to make sure that more Australian-made fuels are kept onshore. This is normally fuel made here for export. By temporarily amending the standards, it means that that fuel is now kept here. And we're cracking down on petrol companies engaging in price gouging. The Minister for Foreign affairs is engaging key international counterparts to help ensure the continued flow of fuel and diesel shipments to Australia from our trading partners. And I've been engaged in that process as well. My Government will be announcing more measures to prepare the nation for supply chain challenges over coming days and weeks.
Briefly, I do want to just add, before I take questions, the issue of Cyclone Narelle, which is off the coast of Far North Queensland. This has the potential to be a very dangerous weather event for both North Queensland but also the Northern Territory. The Category 4 cyclone is forecast to strengthen into a Category 5 system before crossing with severe impacts on Friday. And I've been engaged and will continue to engage with Premier David Crisafulli as well. And as always, the Commonwealth stands ready to provide whatever assistance is required for both Queensland and for the Northern Territory.
Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: When does this taskforce start? Is it straight away? And what are those first steps that can be taken?
PRIME MINISTER: It's started. It's underway. We made this decision a couple of days ago through the National Security Committee, which has been meeting daily. We met again this morning prior to the National Cabinet. We're making sure that we put in place, we try to get ahead of any issue which is there, which is why we made the decision in the bureaucracies across the eight states and territories and the Commonwealth to have one person from each jurisdiction who was a point person. There are a range of forums being held. The National Coordination Mechanism, all those meetings are continuing. But to have a single point of contact was a commonsense response.
JOURNALIST: You said Australia had enough fuel, but how can you say that when you know petrol stations are running out? That can't be true.
PRIME MINISTER: There is not less fuel in Australia today than there was three weeks ago. Every single ship that was due to land here has landed here. There is not less supply. This is an issue, has been an issue of increased demand. So, you can have -- both things in fact can be true. You can have the same amount of fuel that was expected to be here. But because of demand issues, a doubling of demand, and in some cases much more than doubling in areas, that can mean there are shortages in some areas, which is why we need to make sure we coordinate to make sure that those distribution issues are dealt with.
JOURNALIST: How quickly can a new fuel tsar ensure fuel gets to affected regions? What's the timeframe on that?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we're underway and that's one of the reasons why the release of the 20 per cent is -- part of that direction is that it go to be distributed to areas of shortage, and that work is underway.
JOURNALIST: There are mixed messages coming over the United States about how long this war in the Middle East will last. Do you have any sense of how long we will need to remain on a crisis footing as far as fuel supplies go?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, we of course, are not participants in the conflict. And so, what we say, though, is we'll continue to argue for a de-escalation. It's not certain, that's the truth, how long this will last. But I'm hopeful that you can see an end point. The objectives of denying Iran the opportunity to have a development of a nuclear weapon have been secured. So, that was objective number one. Iran's ability to engage in attacks in the region have also been undermined by this process as well. So, we'll continue to monitor, continue to engage, we receive updated briefings, but we'll continue as well to call for that de-escalation.
JOURNALIST: How do you think the bombing of gas fields in the Middle East overnight will affect fuel prices?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, quite clearly this is a major concern. And the attack on the Qatari LNG facility, for example, even though that was turned off at the time, what that will impact is future supply. And so, we'll continue to monitor all of these issues. But that's why we call for a de-escalation. Qatar is not a participant in this conflict. But Iran has chosen to attack unprovoked 12 countries in the region. Indeed, countries that have not been participants. It’s one of the reasons why Australia has provided the E7 Wedgetail aircraft and provided other defensive mechanisms to Gulf States. Because there is no justification whatsoever for Iran undertaking these attacks.
JOURNALIST. So, you accept that it probably will drive up prices further or has the potential to?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, obviously supply and demand has an impact. What we want to see is a de-escalation occur.
JOURNALIST: This morning you told Triple M that Iran's nuclear threat was apparently dealt with and that you see the war ending. What evidence do you have that Iran's stockpile of uranium has been destroyed? Isn't there 400 kilograms of the stuff underground?
PRIME MINISTER: Their capacity to, according to intelligence and the statements by the United States has been very clear that their capacity to develop a nuclear weapon has been damaged by the actions that have been taken.
Thank you.