For families, workers, small-business owners and community members across the Bellarine, Surf Coast and Geelong, access to fuel is absolutely essential. Locals in regional electorates like mine in Corangamite often have little choice but to drive, and, when petrol and diesel prices rise, the impact can extend beyond the servo, flowing through to freight costs and the price of goods and services. The Albanese government understands these pressures. I understand these pressures. I hear from people across my electorate, and I know how important it is that we continue to respond with practical action.

From the outset of the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, our government has acted decisively to protect Australians from the worst of the global fuel crisis. Our recent budget delivered a historic $15 billion fuel security package, including $7.5 billion for the Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility to help suppliers secure additional fuel shipments, $3.2 billion for the government controlled Australian Fuel Security Reserve and $2.9 billion in temporary petrol price relief. These are significant measures, and as a result there is now more fuel onshore in Australia than there was when the conflict in the Middle East began.

We have also taken action to ensure Australians receive a fair price at the bowser. The Treasurer has directed the ACCC to ramp up fuel price monitoring, and after the passing of our penalty legislation serious breaches of competition and consumer laws can now attract maximum penalties of $100 million. That's up from $50 million. We've also invested an additional $67.7 million to strengthen the ACCC's enforcement activities. The regulator is actively monitoring fuel prices and has announced investigations into alleged misconduct.

We have also strengthened fuel security in other ways. Our reforms are improving access to fuel stockpiles, increasing transparency around fuel supplies and requiring reporting of shortages of critical products, including diesel exhaust fluid and technical-grade urea. On fuel excise, we put in place a four-month reduction to help take the sting out of the sharp price increases triggered by the Middle East conflict. This was always a temporary measure, but the end of that relief does not mean the end of our cost-of-living work.

The Albanese government is delivering $17 billion in cost-of-living relief this financial year. That includes $3 billion in fuel excise relief. There's also $2.6 billion in energy bill relief, more than $2 billion in tax cuts and more than $2 billion in increased payments like the pension. We're also funding pay increases for early childhood educators and aged-care workers. We're investing a further $5 billion in health. That's for things like our Medicare urgent care clinic in Torquay. It's also ensuring more Australians can get the medicines they need with $25 PBS scripts.

The Albanese government is backing higher wages. It's acting on supermarket price gouging and supporting a fairer housing market. These are lasting measures, and they will help Australians to manage their household budgets. For eligible small businesses across Corangamite, making the $20,000 instant asset write-off permanent from next year will make a real difference, providing greater certainty when investing in equipment and running a business. That's good for small business, good for workers and good for regional economies like mine.

In closing, we all know the global economy remains uncertain, and government cannot control international oil prices. That's why we're focusing on strengthening Australia's fuel security, enforcing strong competition laws and providing real, tangible cost-of-living supports for people and families. I'll continue listening to my communities and advocating to support households, workers and businesses when they need it.