- Ministerial taskforce convened to support industry and consumers amid ongoing fuel shocks caused by war in the Middle East
- Industry Support Working Group to be chaired by Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti bringing together senior ministers and government agencies
- Cook Government continuing to work closely with WA industry and businesses to understand current and future impacts of fuel security challenges
A new whole-of-government ministerial taskforce will explore ways to support Western Australian businesses and consumers in the face of climbing fuel prices and the ongoing impacts of the war in the Middle East.
While WA's fuel supply remains secure, higher costs and availability issues are impacting local industries.
The Cook Government's Industry Support Working Group (ISWG) will meet for the first time on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing impacts of the Iran War and how the government can best support industry to keep WA's economy strong.
Deputy Premier Rita Saffioti will chair the group and task senior Ministers to consult widely with industry stakeholders to assess the cost pressures and supply chain risks facing WA.
The Industry Support Working Group will recommend targeted measures to support local businesses, strengthen our supply chain resilience, and reduce pressure on Western Australian households.
It follows meetings with key housing and freight industry leaders, to understand the impact of fuel security on housing delivery and transport of essential food and groceries across the State.
The Cook Government is continuing to work with the Commonwealth to address fuel security challenges, particularly in regional WA.
Alongside all other States and Territories, the Cook Government adopted the National Fuel Security Plan on Monday to ensure a co-ordinated response to the fuel shock caused by the war in the Middle East.
The plan is designed to keep the economy moving, support businesses and jobs, and protect critical services through the ongoing fuel challenges.
Premier Roger Cook has also written to the five biggest fuel suppliers, to demand greater visibility of the fuel supply chain to help the government manage potential fuel challenges to help affected industries, in particular, the agricultural industry preparing for seeding and essential food crops.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"We want to do everything we can to keep WA's economy strong and ease the pressure on Western Australian businesses and consumers.
"That's why it is so important we have a direct line to the people on the ground - ensuring business carries on as usual despite current challenges.
"My government will continue working closely with fuel suppliers to support a stable and reliable supply across the State, including in regional communities.
"This group is yet another way we will continue to come together to work on making Western Australia even more resilient to these global challenges."
As stated by Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti:
"As the world grapples with the ongoing shockwaves of the conflict in the Middle East, we are supporting Western Australian businesses so we can keep our economy strong.
"We are working closely with critical industries to understand how the current fuel security challenges and rising costs are affecting their operations and what this will look like for every day Western Australians.
"Across the economy there will be different impacts, and we want to work with key industry groups on how we can support them during this time.
"The Federal Government's cut to the fuel excise is an important and welcomed step but we also want to hear from stakeholders about changes we can make to government process and regulation to support industry.
"This new whole-of-government taskforce shows we are taking their concerns seriously and are committed to supporting Western Australians through this period of global uncertainty."
