Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement)

“Mr NEUMANN (Blair) (10:48): I'm pleased to speak in support of the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for the ACCC Enforcement) Bill and the Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“Let's be very clear: what this legislation, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026, is very clear about is that those global pressures are not an excuse for misconduct. They are not an excuse for misleading conduct or price manipulation, and they're certainly not an excuse for big corporations to treat Australian consumers like mugs. That's why the bill doubles penalties for those who do the wrong thing, lifting maximum penalties to $100 million per offence, because, if you're looking to rip off Australians, there should be real consequences for it. I'm certain that in my community people expect nothing less. I really understand that, at the moment, households in my community and others are doing all they can to manage their costs. People are shopping around. They are budgeting carefully. When they are doing this, the least they can expect is that the system is fair and that companies are playing by the rules. That is what we are achieving with this bill.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“Recent global events have added pressure to fuel markets. Australia cannot control global volatility, but we can control how strongly we protect consumers at home. These bills strengthen accountability, reinforce deterrence and ensure that the consequences for wrongdoing reflect the harm caused to real people and real businesses. This should be a shared priority across the parliament. I note the member for Wright has said we should be wary of the rush. My community can't wait for reliability of fuel price. Those opposite need to get on board and support a real measure that will make a tangible difference in the lives of Australians who are paying for fuel.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“The Albanese government has introduced this legislation—to up penalties at the petrol pump, as well as making it better, easier and fairer for our trucking industry—for a very clear reason: to help consumers get a fair go and to support our trucking industry. The conflict overseas should never be used as an excuse to profit from Australians. That is why we are putting petrol companies on notice. We will not let big corporations treat Australian consumers like mugs. We are calling on the opposition to support this bill because this is about holding companies to account when they do the wrong thing.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“Our government is delivering for Australians. We have Australians' backs during times of crises, and we have the backs of truckies and all Australians at the bowser. On that note, I commend this bill to the House.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“Let's look at the practical things that the Albanese government is doing. One is the new legislation to provide for bigger penalties for misconduct in the fuel sector to help consumers get a fair go at the petrol pump. The conflict overseas should never be an excuse to profit off Australians. We're putting petrol companies on notice and this Treasury laws amendment to double the penalties does literally that. It doubles the penalties for false or misleading conduct and cartel behaviour to a maximum of $100 million per offence across the economy. We'd already increased penalties to $50 million—that's five times higher than what they were when we came to government—and we've given the ACCC more tools, such as extending petrol price monitoring powers and the ability to issue on-the-spot fines. This is a really important step, and it comes on top of the other action we're taking to address fuel affordability and security.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“I would appeal to them to support this legislation. This needs to happen quickly. It needs to happen urgently, and all of the urgency that the other side have been talking about needs to be more than words. They need to stop making social media videos. They need to start acting in the national interest, and the best thing they could do would be start by supporting these bills.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“At the centre of that response is protecting consumers from being ripped off. So we've introduced the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill, which operates to double penalties for serious misconduct, lifting maximum penalties for false or misleading conduct to $100 million per offence. Let me be clear: the conflict overseas is not an excuse to profit from Australians, so we're putting the fuel sector on notice. We will not accept big corporates treating Australian motorists unfairly, and that's why we're empowering the ACCC to ramp up fuel price monitoring and issue on-the-spot fines. We are calling on those opposite to support this legislation and stand with Australian consumers.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“The government has already introduced new laws to double penalties for petrol companies for price gouging. We've convened National Cabinet, we've appointed a national fuel supply task force coordinator, we've begun the release of 20 per cent of Australia's fuel reserves, we've changed petrol standards to get more fuel flowing and we've changed diesel standards so Australia's refineries can supply more diesel. The list of the actions that this government has taken goes on and on. I call on those opposite to support both of these bills, support the government and support Australians.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“We're calling on the Liberals and Nationals to vote for this bill that will legislate higher penalties for petrol companies that do the wrong thing by transport operators and by all Australians.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“I want to say to those opposite: when times are tough, when crises are on our shores, there is a time for real leadership in this place. That's why we've been elected. We need to stand up as one collective force in this place at this time for our country and ensure that our truckies are treated with respect and dignity and that our system is not taken advantage of. It is reprehensible that those opposite continue to politicise this crisis. It is time for the Leader of the Opposition to stand up and show some leadership on this very issue and stop politicising it. We need to act as one. We need to act in the best interests of every single Australian. It is time to support these bills.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“We're in a good position to deal with this international crisis, and I dread to think where we would be right now if those opposite were in charge. Your record on fuel security is absolutely appalling. You had fuel reserves in Texas, in the United States, not Australia—fuel reserves overseas. Could you imagine trying to get them here in this crisis? You also shut down four of six fuel refineries, making storage so much more difficult. I call on those opposite to support this bill. If you genuinely believe in a fair go, if you genuinely stand with Australian consumers and Australian truckers, then you will support these bills. We are taking real action. Unlike those opposite, who are just playing games, we're actually delivering.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“While those opposite play political games, stunts, by calling on this legislation to be urgently passed—'very urgent' we heard from the last speaker—those in the other place on their side are referring it to a committee. Then, when we put it to a vote here, they voted against it anyway. Those opposite are playing very badly strategically planned stunts while this government has the backs of all Australians, and I'd call on those opposite to stop the stunts and stop the games. This is urgent. We need to get it through. You need to vote for it. You need to tell those in the other place that they need to vote for it as well. This is an urgent thing, and we really need all of us. We're elected to look after Australians. We all need to do what is right for our constituents and get this legislation through.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“These new maximums will apply from the day after royal assent of this bill, providing the urgency that our environment demands. This bill sends a clear message from this government that we are on the side of the consumer, we are on the side of the families in Bullwinkel and we will not hesitate to hold the biggest players in our economy to account. I commend this bill to the House.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“The first bill, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026, is about doubling penalties. No-one should be taking advantage, on a commercial basis, of people who are struggling to put fuel in their cars. The first bill gives effect to what the Treasurer and the assistant minister announced on 11 March—to double the ACCC's enforcement penalties, including for false and misleading conduct and for cartel behaviour, to a maximum of $100 million per offence.”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“The fact of the matter is that we have more supplies than we've ever had before. It's available; the distribution is the problem. They know it's the problem. It's because people are hoarding fuel, and more and more fuel needs to go out. That's where the blockage is. But what do they do? Rather than them stand up and do anything in any way, shape or form to support Australians, support workers and support the nation, they want to come in here and say, 'We need to do this desperately. It's so important,' and 'it's so important, we're going to block it. We want to put it to a Senate committee and lock it away for ages.'”

Labor • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“That's what we're calling for. That's what we're brought to this place to do—to debate bills and hopefully create a better set of rules for Australia to work within. Instead of that opportunity being given to representatives of communities like mine, this government decided to ram that bill through underneath the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill, which we support. We came here and moved a suspension of standing orders to bring forward this legislation that they had been sitting on and boasting about. It was the only talking point that they could give when they were put under pressure and asked what they were going to do about the fuel supply crisis—'We're going to crack down.' So we said, 'Bring it on.' And the response, from a government whose integrity has been called into question time and time again and who refuse to stand and be held to account to the normal practices of parliament, has been absolutely disgusting. We've watched it here today.”

LNP • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“Yes, we support doubling these penalties, but the ACCC takes time. They have to investigate cases. They have to create litigation. Australians need relief now. They need relief urgently. They are doing the maths right now on how they will get through Easter. I personally spoke to two trucking companies this week who are worried about going insolvent, and, when they go insolvent—they have customers who they deliver to. They go to Bunnings. They go to Woolies. They go to Coles. It's not just a bush issue. Right now, it may be. People in the cities might say, 'The worst thing that's happening to me is paying 200 bucks for a tank,' and that's pretty bad. But it could soon get much worse. When you start having road transport break down, you get shortages on supermarket shelves, you get unemployment spiking and you get inflation going through the roof.”

Liberal • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“We have been waiting patiently for the legislation. It finally arrived, it is straightforward and simple, and that's why we have no issue debating it.”

Liberal • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“There's a simple bill which will make a difference. Let's pass that, then let's look at the other bill.”

Liberal • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“The ACCC already has significant enforcement powers, and courts already impose serious penalties when misconduct is proven. That makes this government's delay impossible to explain, because if these tools existed all along then why did the government wait until Australians were paying record prices to act? The coalition's position is clear. We support strong enforcement. We support penalties that deter real misconduct. But we don't want to see enforcement being used to mask policy failure. That is why, while we will support this bill today, we will continue to hold the government to account for its failures in regard to this fuel crisis, because this is a real crisis that Australians are facing right now. It is a crisis that is affecting households, small businesses and entire sectors of the economy. As I say, for that reason the coalition is not going to obstruct necessary measures, but we are not going to stay silent while Australians pay record prices because this government acted too late, spoke too loosely and is now legislating after the fact.”

Liberal • Senator • 26 Mar 2026

“Senator CASH (Western Australia—Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (15:25): I too rise to support the bill before the Senate: the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026. We have been imploring the government, the Liberal Party and the National Party now, for over three weeks, to take action to assist Australians in managing what is now a fuel crisis across our country. Let's be very clear. At 4 o'clock today—because this bill will go through the Senate in 35 minutes—let's not pretend that this bill fixes the real problem that Australians have been telling the government they are facing for three weeks now.”

Liberal • Senator • 26 Mar 2026

“The coalition support the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026. We got it yesterday. We spent last night going through it. We looked for where all the sneaky by-lines normally are. We support it. We came in today and we offered the government an olive branch and said, 'We want to bring it on quickly—earlier—for debate so we can get it passed through here. Then it can go to the Senate and also go out into the community to make sure that big business and those fuel companies aren't ripping off the consumer.' That's what we did.”

LNP • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“So what about the bills before us here today, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026 and the Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026? Yes, the coalition is backing the doubling of penalties for the ACCC. This is tangible. Increasing the maximum penalty for anticompetitive behaviour and ensuring the price of misconduct is high enough to deter unfair activity is good. We must ensure consumers retain a robust level of protection. Yes, we support tougher penalties for those doing wrong, but the commission must also prosecute. We won't cop fuel gouging, but let's not forget to give confidence to the independent fuel retailers, who don't know where their next order is coming from or when. Doubling penalties won't help supply.”

LNP • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“We had a media announcement 15 days ago, and that legislation only just turned up this week. It was the coalition who decided to be the adults in the room and say, 'Let's get this done today.' Because when I go home tonight, I really want to be able to say to my community, 'We did something in Canberra this week. We actually tried to help.' There have been some mentions of politicking on the other side. There are no politics in this. This is about the people of Australia. The minister at the table scoffs in a disgraceful fashion, showing an absolute complete disregard for the pain that people are feeling right across Australia. So I'm proud to have stood here today as a member of the coalition to get this done.”

LNP • MP • 26 Mar 2026

“The Greens will be supporting the Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026 in the House and reserving our position in the Senate. We also intend to support the passage of the Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026 in the House and reserve our position in the Senate. Labor's actually lying to you that they're tackling price gouging. All this ACCC bill does is increase penalties on existing offences—offences which have never in their history been used to crack down on fuel.”

Greens • MP • 26 Mar 2026