Penny Wong's WORST Day ln Parl!ament. OUTRAGED Senator FORCES Her Into A Corner She CAN'T Escape

Added: 2026-05-09

[00:00:00]Uh, thank you, Minister. Senator McKenzie, first supplementary. That's a very disappointing answer, Minister. Um, the fire season has abruptly stopped in many places, but aviation fuels are a key part of responding to floods, such as the impact of Cyclone Nerelle.

[00:00:17]Is there sufficient aviation fuel in the system to manage Australia's response to emergencies like Cyclone Nerelle without stopping supply to agriculture or trade?

[00:00:29]She paused, and in that pause, you could feel the entire Senate chamber shift.

[00:00:33]Penny Wong, Foreign Minister, seasoned operator, someone who has navigated the sharpest rooms in global diplomacy, suddenly looked like she was trying to answer two questions at once while pretending neither of them existed. And what happened next is the kind of moment that doesn't get enough attention outside of Canberra. President, I've asked the Minister how many passports were refused or cancelled under this section of the Act. The Minister is being relevant to your question, Senator Paterson. Minister Wong. Here's the setup. Senator McKenzie is asking about jet fuel, aviation supply, Cyclone Nerelle, crop planting season. The kind of bread and butter question a Minister should have cold. Wong is answering for the PM because Albo's in the lower house, as always. Strictly a House of Reps man, our Prime Minister. Shows up for the exam, skips the lectures. But the fuel questions, that's just the warm-up act. I mean, that the the extent to which the irresponsible those opposite are irresponsible, that you would actually ask questions about the advice of security agencies. I act on the advice of security agencies. I act on the advice of security agencies.

[00:01:38]And if you want, you have been on PJSC.

[00:01:42]You have been on the committee, Senator.

[00:01:44]If you want a confidential briefing on a classified matters, I will provide it.

[00:01:50]Did you hear what I said? If you want a confidential briefing on classified matters, I will provide it.

[00:01:55]>> has expired. Because then it pivots hard to Israel, to the UK, to the US, to what the Foreign Office has publicly said about international humanitarian law, and whether Australia's position actually lines up with it. And this is where it gets genuinely interesting. The senator puts it simply. If the UK and US have said they have no concerns about targeting or proportionality, why has Britain restricted arms sales to Israel on humanitarian grounds? That's not a trick question. That's a real contradiction sitting right there on the table. Wong's response, the arms embargo is political, not legal. Previous answers are allowed the minister. All right. A lot of leeway.

[00:02:33]But this is they either have the supply on shore and know where it is, or they don't.

[00:02:41]RESUME YOUR SEAT. IT'S not a time for an for a very long point of You're not in a debate with me. My question is to the minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong.

[00:02:52]Jet fuel has increased in the past 14 days up by 90 cents per liter. For bulk supplies, this means about a 70% increase in fuel price.

[00:03:03]Prices vary, but bulk fuel is about $1.70 per liter near major depots, and up to $2.40 in remote areas. What is the Prime Minister's plan for managing a jet fuel or Avgas shortage, and how is this to be communicated?

[00:03:19]Thank you, Senator McKenzie. Minister Wong.

[00:03:23]Uh thank you, uh President. Uh thank you to uh the senator.

[00:03:30]Uh this is a jet fuel is obviously one of the areas uh that we have been focused on. I think Minister Bowen has spoken uh about this previously, uh that we in the we have an effect on Australian markets as a consequence of the effect on global markets. Uh probably the largest energy shock uh in many Uh and that conflict is placing pressure on supply chains across the economy.

[00:03:59]It is placing supply placing pressure on a number of liquid fuels.

[00:04:06]The government's doing a number of things. The first is obviously to continue to engage with international partners to continue to engage with industry and to continue to look to secure alternative supplies.

[00:04:22]I refer you to my earlier answers in response to your colleagues about the announcements the government has made over the last few days.

[00:04:30]Thank you, Minister. Senator McKenzie, first supplementary.

[00:04:33]>> That's a very disappointing answer, Minister.

[00:04:36]The fire season has abruptly stopped in many places, but aviation fuels are a key part of responding to floods such as the impact of Cyclone Nerelle.

[00:04:47]Is there sufficient aviation fuel in the system to manage Australia's response to emergencies like Cyclone Nerelle without stopping supply to agriculture or transport aviation?

[00:05:00]Thank you, Senator McKenzie. Minister Wong.

[00:05:03]Well, I again indicate to you, Senator, we are working to secure supply through the in global markets and through our engagement with partners.

[00:05:14]You have seen that occur over these last weeks.

[00:05:20]Both myself and the Prime Minister with international partners who are our major suppliers of a range of liquid fuels.

[00:05:28]>> Minister Wong, please resume your seat.

[00:05:29]Senator McKenzie. Point of order on direct relevance, Madam President. The previous answer I allowed the Minister a lot of leeway.

[00:05:38]>> we've moved on.

[00:05:38]>> is they either have supply onshore and know where it is or they don't.

[00:05:46]>> RESUME YOUR SEAT. IT'S not a time for a for a very long point of You're not in a debate with me. You've asked a point of order. The minister is being relevant. I will continue to listen carefully. Minister Wong. Senator Senator would be aware, I would hope, that jet fuel is one of the liquid fuels subject to the minimum stock stock holding obligation.

[00:06:12]And that at the moment, as I understand it, Order.

[00:06:18]Order.

[00:06:21]Order. The question's been asked. I am listening carefully to the answer.

[00:06:25]Minister Wong, do you wish to continue?

[00:06:28]As I was trying to explain, and you're I think you're part of the government that did did say you were moving to the MSO.

[00:06:35]The minimum stock holding obligation is the mechanism by which we ensure fuel is held to deal with supply constraints concerns that you are raising. The advice I have, and I'll come back and add further information >> Wong. Your time has expired. Senator McKenzie, Senator McKenzie, second supplementary.

[00:06:54]Winter planting for crops in many areas is about to start, which would usually mean an increase in aerial work.

[00:07:02]What is the Prime Minister doing to ensure that the agriculture sector will be supported, and that there will be no disruption to critical aerial operations due to aviation fuel shortages during peak planting season?

[00:07:15]Thank you, Senator McKenzie. Minister Wong.

[00:07:19]As I was trying to respond when that question when I ran out of time, jet fuel is one of the liquid fuels that is subject to the minimum stock holding obligation, and the government continues to work to ensure that more supply arrives in Australia, including through engagement with global partners.

[00:07:40]The fuel plan that I that the Prime Minister announced earlier goes to the ways in which we will work with states and territories to address this including in relation to jet fuel. So, the position is simultaneously no legal concerns exist and we've stopped selling weapons but for political reasons. It's like calling yourself a vegetarian but only on weekdays for unrelated personal reasons. And here's the thing nobody talks about. Both sides of this exchange are actually making valid points. The senator isn't wrong to push. Wong isn't wrong to be cautious with classified material but somewhere between the I beg your pardon and the president calling order three times, the actual answer disappears entirely. That's not just a bad day in the Senate. That's a pattern and once you see it, you can't unsee it.