Australia politics as it happened: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meets Anthony Albanese in Canberra

Thank you for following our live coverage of today’s events in federal parliament. Here’s what happened:

• European Union President Ursula von der Leyen addressed a joint sitting of parliament, becoming the first female leader to do so, after her and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the end of negotiations for a long-awaited free trade agreement.
• Bodies representing Australian farmers have slammed the trade deal as unfair and damaging to agriculture and regional communities, a point pushed by the National Party. The Business Council of Australia lauded the agreement, saying it would grow business.
• The Finance Sector Union called for banks and insurance companies to suspend rules requiring workers to attend their offices for work, citing surging fuel costs.
• Labor temporarily adjusted diesel standards to allow more fuel to flow into the market.
• Energy Minister Chris Bowen provided updated data during question time showing hundreds of petrol stations have run out of specific lines of fuel, particularly diesel.

The blog will return tomorrow for a regular 2pm (AEDT) sitting of question time.

In the meantime, you can follow along with our live blog of the war in the Middle East here.

The majority of questions from the opposition today, and this week, have been directed towards Energy Minister Chris Bowen.

Most recently, the minister was asked by Liberal frontbencher Melissa McIntosh about a potential national response to fuel rationing. Bowen has repeatedly rebuffed claims that rationing was on the way.

Bowen launched a brief assault on the Coalition, saying: “This government will continue to work constructively with state governments, and will continue to work constructively with industry state governments, like the Tasmanian state government, which is working very constructively with this government”.

“That is because that’s what sensible adult governments do. That’s what serious people do. Non-serious people play politics in an international crisis.”

As Bowen returned to his seat, he called out: “You’re not serious people”.

Independent MP Kate Chaney has asked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese why the government has not responded to the Murphy report into gambling harm 1000 days after it was handed to the government.

Chaney asked the prime minister: “1000 days ago, after heartbreaking evidence about the predatory gambling industry, the late Peta Murphy presented our committee report to parliament with 31 unanimous recommendations to reduce gambling industry harms.”

“The government has still not responded. You claim to have done more than any other government, but none of your actions were in response to the inquiry’s recommendations, and Australians still lose more through gambling than any other country. Why won’t you respond to Peta Murphy’s report?”

Albanese rejected the question, saying its assertion was “factually wrong”, pointing to a number of changes to gambling in Australia introduced since 2022, including impending changes to the way gambling organisations can access research and development funds.

The prime minister said the government had banned the use of credit cards for online wagering, established online ID verification, implemented monthly win-loss statements, strengthened classification for video games with gambling content, and created a national self-exclusion register.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has said the Liberal Party’s leadership should “hang their heads in shame” for having chosen to politicise the global fuel crisis.

Bowen was asked by former Nationals leader Michael McCormack: “What is your plan to get fuel to the more than 400 service stations that have no fuel?”

Bowen rose and began listing government measures to tackle the fuel crisis, including releasing 20 per cent of the minimum stock obligation under the condition that it flows to regional Australia.

“I also announced a temporary relaxation of the rules for sulphur for petrol, which will see an extra 100 million litres of fuel to be supplied to the system each month. In addition, Mr Speaker, the prime minister, has convened national cabinet. I’ve convened energy ministers, and we have agreed to keep working together on contingency plans,” Bowen said.

“We will work every day with refiners, with suppliers, to ensure that that fuel flows to where there are real shortages.”

Bowen ended his speech by attacking the opposition, accusing the Liberal leadership of having “chosen partisanship over patriotism, and they should hang their heads in shame”.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen has provided a state-by-state update on fuel shortages. Here’s the data he provided:

• New South Wales – 164 stations are without diesel, 289 are without at least one type of fuel
• Queensland – 55 stations are without diesel, 35 are without regular unleaded
• Victoria – 162 stations are without one or more grades of fuel
• South Australia– 46 stations are without one or more grades of fuel
• Western Australia – six stations have no fuel
• Tasmania – one station has no diesel, six stations have no unleaded fuel
• Northern Territory – no stations are without fuel because of supply issues, some may be affected by weather events
• Australian Capital Territory – no shortages

Labor has temporarily adjusted diesel standards to allow more fuel to flow into the marketplace, Energy Minister Chris Bowen has announced.

“This six-month adjustment will lower what’s known as the flashpoint for diesel, from 61.5 degrees Celsius, to 60.5 degrees Celsius, increasing diesel supply options from refiners and international sources,” a statement from Bowen read.

“In effect, Australian refineries will now have more flexibility for making diesel, and widen the markets from which we source diesel, including from the United States, Canada, and Europe, which allow diesel with lower flashpoints. This will give companies more flexibility and more options to adjust supply chains to manage disruption from the Middle East,” the statement said.

“Flashpoint changes have no impact on engines or emissions. Australia typically has a slightly higher temperature flashpoint owing to our hotter climate however when the flashpoint was last lowered in 2020 we saw no adverse impact on engines or emissions.”

Question time has begun with a question from deputy Nationals leader Darren Chester, who asked Agriculture Minister Julie Collins whether she believed the EU free trade agreement was a good deal for Australian farmers.

“At a time of a national fuel crisis which is hurting our farmers, the National Farmers Federation is extremely disappointed with the free trade agreement announced with the European Union today, and said Australian farmers, and I quote, ‘will now pay the price for this subpar EU deal for decades to come’,” Chester said.

“Minister, do you really believe this is a good deal for Australian farmers?”

Collins rose to respond and was repeatedly held up by rowdy behaviour in the chamber. Former Nationals leader David Littleproud was ejected during the tumult.

“The Albanese Labor government has worked day and night to rebuild our trading relations that we inherited from those opposite when they left office. Let’s be honest about it, [the Coalition] left us with trade impediments of millions and billions of dollars,” Collins said.

“Today’s Australia-EU free trade agreement represents an opportunity for Australian farmers, fishers and other agricultural producers. It’s not only an important outcome at a time of global trade uncertainty, it further supports the diversification of our agricultural products and our agricultural exports.”