Question Time at Parliament House, Canberra

E&OE TRANSCRIPT 
QUESTION TIME
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA  
TUESDAY, 10 MARCH 2026 
 
MERYL SWANSON, MEMBER FOR PATERSON: My question is for the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. How is the Albanese Labor Government working with farmers to manage the conflict of the Middle East on agriculture? What steps is the Albanese Labor Government taking to improve food security?

JULIE COLLINS, MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FORESTRY: Thanks Mr Speaker, and I do want to thank our Member for Paterson for chairing a committee that wrote a report on our food security and keeping Ministers up to date on what is happening in her regional community over weekend. I think everybody in this place understands the importance ensuring our farmers can continue to produce our food and fibre Mr Speaker. We also understand keeping our freight and supply chains moving is critical. As a Government, we know that this food production is critical for every community right across Australia, and that we produce around two and a half times the food we need. We also, of course, do feed our close neighbours in the Indo-Pacific with our world-class agricultural products and we need to be able to continue to do that too. From day one of this conflict in the Middle East we have been monitoring the potential impacts on our ag industry. Indeed, we are working day and night with our agricultural exporters to ensure the safe return of products that have been disrupted due to the conflict. We also recognise how critical the supply of fuel and fertiliser is for agriculture and for our food security. That’s why our Government is working together with the farmers, producers, and industry so we can quickly respond to issues as they arise. We have been very clear and I reiterate, the conflict in the Middle East is not a commercial opportunity. Indeed, we must all act in the national interest during this period of time, because we know that keeping our farmers farming is in the national interest Mister Speaker. As the Minister for Energy has indicated, our Government held a roundtable today with the National Farmers' Federation, Fertiliser Australia, the Australian Institute of Petroleum, and the Australian Trucking Association. All joining together, because now more than ever collaboration is critical. Of course, this builds on discussions that many of us have had over the last week with our broader sectors and industries. As the Energy Minister has also reiterated, we have more fuel now than at any time over the last 15 years. We know that fuel continues to arrive in the quantities and frequency that we need, with more shipments due within the week. It’s also critical that our fuel industry continues to deliver a consistent supply across our economy, including to our regional communities. We have heard some concerns today from people about some of those regional communities that have been impacted, as the Minister for Energy has indicated, and as other Members have indicated. But we’ve also heard that much of the input products for the upcoming planting system, including the majority of fertiliser required is already on the water or is already in the country Mr Speaker. Farmers are rightly looking ahead and they are planning. We understand the importance of fuel and fertiliser to a productive system, which is why we are also making sure that we have supply chain resilience as a key priority of our National Food Security Strategy, which will help safeguard Australia in into the future. On this side of the House we will continue to stand with our farmers.