Willcox launches ‘No Fuel’ reporting tool for Dawson
Federal Member for Dawson and Shadow Assistant Minister for Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability, Andrew Willcox MP, today called on residents across the region to report fuel shortages using a new website: www.nofuelhere.com.au.
As communities throughout North Queensland feel the sting of the national fuel crisis, Mr Willcox is seeking hard evidence to take to the floor of Parliament.
"I have spoken with farmers in the Burdekin, Bowen, Proserpine and Mackay who are staring down a critical planting window with the fear of empty diesel tanks looming. In the Whitsundays, tourism businesses are already feeling the pinch of rapidly increasing prices. Families are rationing their travel, and our transport operators are being pushed to the brink," Mr Willcox said.
"Regional Australians do not have the luxury of jumping on a train and many are in positions where they can’t work from home. Fuel is the lifeblood of our region: it is how we get to work, how we get our kids to school, and how our farms keep running. When the pumps are empty, Dawson grinds to a halt.
"I am asking every local resident who has experienced a shortage to log it at www.nofuelhere.com.au. Every report strengthens our case to the Albanese Government that regional Australia needs its fair share of fuel security."
The website, launched by the Coalition, allows Australians to quickly log shortages at their local service station. These reports provide MPs with real-time data on where the crisis is hitting hardest.
Australia currently imports around 90 per cent of its refined fuel and is the only International Energy Agency member country that fails to hold the mandatory 90-day fuel reserve. This vulnerability has been exposed by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Mr Willcox said his role in the Shadow Manufacturing and Sovereign Capability portfolio has highlighted the urgent need for Australia to become a self-reliant nation.
"It is economically nonsensical that we export our natural resources only to buy them back as finished fuel at a massive markup. We cannot have sovereign capability if we cannot fuel our own tractors and trucks. We need to be a nation that makes things here, fuels things here, and stands on its own two feet," Mr Willcox said.
"The Albanese Government claims this is just a distribution problem, but that is cold comfort when you are staring at an 'Out of Service' sign in Dawson.
“Regional Australia cannot wait for Canberra to catch up. We need a plan that treats our food and fuel security as a strategic priority, not an afterthought."
Residents are encouraged to report fuel shortages at: www.nofuelhere.com.au.
ENDS
Caption: Federal Member for Dawson Andrew Willcox at the pump. Regional families cannot afford to run on empty. Mr Willcox is calling on the community to report fuel shortages at www.nofuelhere.com.au.
Contact: Amanda Wright | Media & Communications Adviser P | 07 4944 0662 M | 0455 456 705 E | Amanda.Wright@aph.gov.au