42m agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 2:49am
That’s the end of our blog!
And that’s where we’ll have to leave our federal politics live coverage for today. Thank you for joining us!
If you’re keen to know more about the interest rates decision at 2:30pm AEDT today, head over to the business blog for the latest. I’ll pop the link to that blog at the end of this post.
Otherwise, you can look back on today’s developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest updates.
I’ll catch you again tomorrow morning for everything federal politics related. Until then, see ya folks!
53m agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 2:37am
RAAF planes sent to retrieve stranded Australians now working with UK
Two RAAF planes that left Australia a fortnight ago as a contingency to help stranded Australians get home have wound up working with the UK.
A C-17A Globemaster and KC-30A refueller were both sent to Europe two weeks ago, when there were significant concerns about the capacity of commercial airlines to get Australians home from major transport hubs like Dubai and Doha.
The two have not been needed so far, and the advice from DFAT is that commercial flights remain the best option for Australians that want to leave the region.
A Defence spokesperson has now confirmed the two planes are instead working with the UK’s Royal Air Force.
“In response to a request from the United Kingdom, the ADF is providing transportation of stores and personnel, when not required for Operation Beech tasking,” they said.
Planespotters captured the C-17 at the RAF base in Gibraltar earlier this week.
The UK has been keen to downplay its role in the Iran conflict but is providing defensive support for Gulf countries.
The Defence spokesperson said Australia’s support for UK operations is consistent with the government’s ongoing stance — that no offensive operations are being taken against Iran.
“As the government has previously stated, the Australian government is not taking offensive action against Iran and we have been clear that we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran.”
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 2:24am
NZ defence minister flags tighter integration between ADF and NZDF
New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins has flagged even tighter integration between the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and the Australian Defence Force as both countries try to work out how they should best tackle an increasingly dangerous strategic environment.
Collins and NZ Foreign Minister Winston Peters are in Canberra for annual meetings with Penny Wong and Richard Marles.
While the war in Iran will no doubt feature heavily in the talks, both countries will also have a long discussion about this region, as well as the bilateral relationship.
While the militaries in both countries have already taken some fairly significant steps in this direction, Collins has flagged they will make further announcements about bedding down defence integration.
“There’ll be an announcement later today, and I think what we’ll see is our two countries respecting, working together, changing, shifting staff interoperability between each other’s countries, and also being able to work with each other’s equipment,” Collins said.
“These are some of the things we have been discussing.”
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 2:20am
‘Can you imagine if I had to call Houston?’: Bowen hits back at Coalition
(ABC News: David Sciasci)
As we reported earlier, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said Australia’s fuel standards shouldn’t have been enhanced until the nation’s fuel refineries were upgraded.
The opposition leader has called for oil refined at facilities in Australia to be redirected to the domestic market.
However some of the oil currently refined in Australia doesn’t meet the country’s fuel quality standards, so it is exported overseas to countries with lower fuel standards.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the opposition leader should engage in “period of strategic silence” because of his record as energy minister.
The former Coalition government established Australia’s minimum stock obligation in Texas, in the United States.
“I’ve released the minimum stock obligation. I’ve said it would take some time to hit the supply chain. Can you imagine if I had to call Houston to get that petrol released instead of getting it released from Geelong and Brisbane?” Bowen says.
He says the Coalition hasn’t provided any constructive suggestions over the past week.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 2:14am
ACCC meeting with fuel retailers, suppliers hasn’t finished yet: Bowen
A meeting between the nation’s consumer watchdog and fuel suppliers hasn’t finished yet, Energy Minister Chris Bowen says.
The emergency meeting was called so that fuel suppliers and retailers could explain the steep rise in fuel since the outbreak of war.
“The ACCC as we speak, the meeting’s not yet finished, is meeting with the petrol industry and they’ll provide an update later today,” Bowen says.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 2:06am
Government not considering fuel rationing ‘at this point’: Bowen
Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the government doesn’t believe fuel rationing is the way to go “at this point”.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles was coy on morning television this morning about whether Australia needed to ration fuel.
“We’re not doing that because we don’t believe at this point that’s what is the best solution,” Bowen says.
“We believe the best solution is providing maximum information to Australian people, factual information,” he says.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 2:02am
Energy minister says panic buying is ‘very much’ behind fuel shortages
The energy minister says efforts to increase the supply of fuel in Australia won’t work if people resort to panic buying.
Chris Bowen says preparations are underway to see the country through the next period as the Middle East war continues.
He says panic buying is “very much” currently the cause of the fuel situation in Australia, particularly in regional communities.
“I completely understand the concerns of Australians who might be thinking we’ll buy a bit of extra fuel,” Bowen says.
“There’s been also separately people going to Bunnings and buying out all the Bunnings jerry cans. That is unhelpful. That is un-Australian,” he says.
Bowen says it is in everyone’s best interest to avoid panic buying.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 1:56am
Minister says panic buying has placed pressure on availability of fuel
The energy minister has been asked how much longer will it take for the federal government to consider fuel rationing.
Chris Bowen says the government wants Australians to buy as much fuel as they need, but not more than they need.
The energy minister says the Commonwealth is in discussions with states for forward planning.
But he says the shortages have been driven by a spike in demand because of panic buying.
“If we keep going with these supply measures and if Australians respond in the spirit of all coming together and not panic buying, then that maximises our chances of getting through this situation and that it’s best that the market be allowed to operate,” Bowen says.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 1:52am
Bowen says all shipments of oil are arriving as expected
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has been asked about reports a shipment of jet fuel bound for Australia hasn’t left China.
The energy minister says the prime minister and foreign minister are in contact with important Asian counterparts .
He says every ship that the government has expected would arrive in Australia has arrived.
“The oil companies say to me that they fully expect all deliveries all through March and well into April, but we are in an internationally uncertain time, and that’s why we’re doing such planning at the moment,” Bowen says.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 1:46am
Chris Bowen says fuel companies presenting plans to truck fuel to regions
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has stepped up for a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra for an update on the fuel situation.
The energy minister says the release of emergency fuel reserves and lower quality fuel has now been ticked off.
Bowen says fuel companies have been presenting plans to get fuel to regional petrol stations over the last 24 hours.
“I’m hopeful that we will see fuel flow from that in the immediate future. As I said on Friday, it will take some time, as I think people understand that we have a complicated supply chain,” Bowen says.
Bowen says the international environment remains uncertain and that the government is trying to shield Australia from the impact.
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 1:38am
Protracted Middle East war will cause economic ripple effects: NZ defence minister
New Zealand’s Defence Minister Judith Collins says her country will face real economic difficulties if there’s a protracted war in the Middle East.
Like Australia, New Zealand’s economy is heavily reliant on oil imports from overseas, which means Wellington is deeply concerned that Iran has now largely blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil route.
Collins told the ABC that economic ripple impacts from the war are now starting to reach New Zealand, although it was still early days.
“We haven’t seen enormous impacts yet, but clearly, if it goes on for too many more weeks, it will be a difficult situation,” she said.
“I’m sure Australia is finding exactly the same.”
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 1:33am
New Zealand hasn’t been asked to send navy ships to Strait of Hormuz: NZ defence minister
New Zealand’s defence minister says the Trump administration hasn’t asked her to send NZ navy ships to the Strait of Hormuz to protect ships transporting oil.
US President Donald Trump has declared that countries that depend on flows of oil from the region should send military assets to the strait to help ensure tankers can make their way through the strait.
The Albanese government hasn’t yet received a request for help from the US, although senior ministers have sent slightly contradictory messages about whether or not the government would be willing to entertain the idea.
Judith Collins is in Canberra for an annual meeting between the defence and foreign ministers of both Australia and New Zealand.
Speaking ahead of that meeting, she told the ABC that New Zealand was in a similar position to Australia.
“We haven’t had any approaches yet. Obviously, any decisions on what we would contribute, if anything, would have to go through Cabinet,” she said.
“But we haven’t had any request.”
1h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 1:31am
Canavan says he sees merit in WFH for regional based public servants
(ABC News: Jessica Ross)
Nationals Leader Matt Canavan says he sees the merits of opening up work from home arrangements for regional-based public servants.
The Nationals have proposed allowing regional and rural-based public servants to work from home to grow regional communities and encourage families to have more babies.
Canavan says while he was cynical about working from home when it first came to prominence, he thinks there is merit to it.
“I see the absolute merit in opening up this huge, huge potential now for people to live away from our clearly congested cities that are bursting at the seams,” Canavan says.
“Unfortunately for us that live in smaller towns like myself, we just traditionally have not been able to [access] the same variety of employment that you get in a big city, especially in professional jobs like finance, like law,” he says.
2h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 1:06am
Victoria holds emergency management cabinet meeting on fuel
The Victorian government has held a security and emergency management cabinet meeting to discuss the consequences of the conflict in the Middle East on the state’s fuel prices and supply.
Earlier this year, Victoria announced that petrol stations would be required to set a maximum daily price for their fuel.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says the meeting agreed to allocate $4.6 million to send inspectors to enforce compliance with the fuel cap.
Allan says Victoria will send its fuel price data to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to help with its response on fuel prices.
“Many Victorian households and families, businesses and industries that rely on fuel certainty and supply are rightly anxious,” Allan says.
“They’re looking to government to provide advice and support.”
She said there was no threat to Victoria’s fuel supply at this stage but announced that Victoria would prepare continuity plans for key sectors including the energy and agriculture industries, in case of the situation in the Middle East worsening.
NSW government convened a fuel security round table yesterday to discuss fuel supply impacts.
2h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 12:54amFuel standards shouldn’t have been raised until refineries were upgraded: Taylor
Angus Taylor says Australia’s fuel standards should never have been raised until the nation’s last remaining oil refineries were able to meet higher standards.
Some of the oil currently refined in Australia doesn’t meet the country’s fuel quality standards, so it is exported overseas to countries with lower fuel standards.
In an interview with Sky News, the opposition leader says those standards shouldn’t have been raised until the country’s refineries were able to produce higher quality fuel.
“The reason why they’re exporting is because of emission standards imposed by this minister. I mean seriously. Get that fuel into our system and make sure it’s getting to our farmer and our truckers,” Taylor says.
“Those emissions standards should not have been applied until the refinery was being in a position to meet them in the first place,” he says.
2h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 12:34amTaylor supports Canavan’s WFH push for regional public servants
Angus Taylor has been asked if he supports Matt Canavan’s suggestion to allow regional and rural based public servants to work from home.
The Nationals leader says he’ll push to allow flexible working arrangements to grow regional communities and encourage families to have more babies.
The opposition leader says he’s a “big supporter” of work flexibility that work for the employer and employee.
“I think these are things that should be worked out between employer and employee and I think there’s all sorts of ways you can make it good for both,” Taylor says.
3h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 12:28amAustralia ‘needs to drill more’, Taylor says
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor agrees that Australia “needs to drill more” to meet Australia’s resource needs.
He’s pointed to the Bass Strait as a source of oil and gas, and the Beetaloo Basin as areas Australia should take advantage of.
“We need to see that drilling happening at pace. This is a government that’s made it very hard for resource companies to get the approvals they need to make the investments,” Taylor says.
He says the government should do what it takes to get fuel to regional areas.
Taylor says the government should do “whatever is required” to move fuel to areas with fuel scarcity, but hasn’t said what they should do.
3h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 12:22am
Angus Taylor accuses Bowen of ’emissions obsession’ over refined fuel exports
Angus Taylor says price gouging for fuel is “unacceptable” and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) should take companies to task for doing the wrong thing.
But Taylor has quickly re-centred his attention on the government and Energy Minister Chris Bowen who he has accused of not doing his job.
“The government’s failed to do its bit. Sadly. It needs to get serious and the prime minister needs to say to his energy minister, ‘Do your job,’ because he hasn’t done it,” Taylor says.
Taylor has called for fuel refined at Australia’s last two fuel refineries to be sold to Australians and not exported.
But asked what else the government should do to reduce fuel prices, Taylor hasn’t provided any further suggestions.
He has accused the energy minister of exporting Australian refined fuel overseas because it doesn’t meet emissions targets,
“Ampol doesn’t want to have to export its fuel at the moment, but Chris Bowen’s emissions obsession has meant that’s what they’ve been doing,” he says.
3h agoTue 17 Mar 2026 at 12:11amLiberal candidate for Farrer says Sussan Ley hasn’t returned her calls
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has just stepped up for a press conference in the regional NSW electorate of Farrer.
He’s joined by Liberal candidate for Farrer Raissa Butkowski on the campaign hustings.
The opposition leader has started by touching on the interest rates decision to be handed down by the Reserve Bank of Australia today.
Butkowski revealed yesterday she had reached out to former Liberal leader Sussan Ley.
Today, journalists have asked her whether she’s heard back from the former Liberal leader who held the seat for Farrer for 25 years.
It looks like Ley hasn’t returned her calls because Butkowski says the pair haven’t been able to connect.
“I have reached out to Sussan. We’ve still have not been able to connect at this point in time,” Butkowski says.
4h agoMon 16 Mar 2026 at 11:00pm
Duniam finds it ‘curious’ minister ruled out sending navy ship to Strait of Hormuz
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonno Duniam says he thought it was “curious” the transport minister had said Australia would not send a ship to the Strait of Hormuz.
Yesterday, Catherine King told ABC Radio National Breakfast that Australia was not sending a navy ship to the shipping lane to protect vessels from Iranian attacks.
Australia has sent an aircraft to the United Arab Emirates to support the Gulf country in defending itself from Iranian attacks.
Duniam told Sky News that any request for assistance from the United States needed to be “considered properly”.
“I would think that it is a consideration that needs to be taken seriously by the government if we want to get things back to normal,” Duniam says.
“To hear Catherine King yesterday to say without a request having ever been received by the government from the US, that we would never provide naval support to the operations in the Strait of Hormuz I thought was curious,” she says.