Question time as it happened: David Littleproud quits as leader of the Nationals; Bowen faces down Coalition fuel supply attacks

After a predictable question time and a much less predictable announcement from David Littleproud that he would be stepping down as leader of the Nationals, that’s all from us for today.

Thanks for joining our live coverage, here’s the key things that happened:

• David Littleproud made the shock announcement that he would hand over the reins of the National Party, but stay on as the member for Maranoa. The prime minister and opposition leader congratulated Littleproud for his tenure and wished him well.
• During question time, the Coalition pursued Energy Minister Chris Bowen over reports of fuel shortages in the regions. Bowen said Australia was receiving as much oil as it had been before the war in Iran broke out, and unwarranted panic buying was resulting in a spike in demand.
• Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke detailed how asylum for Iranian soccer players was sealed, saying staff worked into the night to rush through their visas.
• In an earlier press conference, Angus Taylor backed the prime minister’s announcement this morning that Australia would send a surveillance aircraft, weapons, and troops to the Middle East to help defend the United Arab Emirates. Taylor also welcomed the government offering visas to the Iranian soccer team.

Live coverage of question time will return tomorrow. In the meantime, you can follow along with our live updates on the Iran war here.

Thanks for joining us for question time.

Before we go, we bring you breaking news that Nationals leader David Littleproud has announced he will resign as leader.

Littleproud is addressing reporters in Canberra alongside his wife.

“I’m buggered. I’ve had enough,” Littleproud said.

“[Continuing] would be the wrong thing for me to do. I love the National Party.

“It would be wrong for me to say that I’m the right person to continue to lead. That’s tough for me to say. I think someone better can do it because I don’t have the energy.”

Thanks for joining us for question time.

Before we go, we bring you breaking news that Nationals leader David Littleproud has announced he will resign as leader.

Littleproud is addressing reporters in Canberra alongside his wife.

“I’m buggered. I’ve had enough,” Littleproud said.

“[Continuing] would be the wrong thing for me to do. I love the National Party.

“It would be wrong for me to say that I’m the right person to continue to lead. That’s tough for me to say. I think someone better can do it because I don’t have the energy.”

The last couple of questions from the Coalition have involved their constituents reporting that they could not access fuel in the regions.

Liberal backbencher Rick Wilson said a potato farmer had 10 days of fuel left, and was worried he would not be able to continue his operation.

Opposition spokesperson for women Melissa McIntosh spoke of a plumber who had been forced to take one of his trucks off the road because of fuel shortages.

Minister for Energy Chris Bowen said he was concerned about Australians who had not been able to get the fuel they needed, before repeating that panic buying was to blame.

“The best way we can [ensure access] is to remind people that our fuel supplies are secure and there is no need for panic buying,” he said.

The crossbench has offered a change of pace from the Coalition hammering Energy Minister Chris Bowen with questions about fuel security.

Independent MP Kate Chaney asked Treasurer Jim Chalmers how investment in AI opportunities and safety would be factored into the May budget.

“What you can … always expect from this government is to be very attentive to the concerns that people raise with us, so we can do whatever we can to capture the opportunities [of AI],” Chalmers said, adding the budget was not yet finalised.

Speaker of the House Milton Dick has chided the Coalition for repeatedly interrupting and arguing that Energy Minster Chris Bowen was not answering their repeated questions about which areas of the country were facing fuel shortages.

“I think I have outlined to the House that there are diesel shortages being faced in rural and regional Australia, in particular, [driven by] massive spikes in demand,” Bowen said in response to the Coalition’s fourth question about fuel.

“The biggest risk to fuel availability in Australia right now is panic buying,” he said, before warning that stockpiling fuel at properties was risky.

Speaker Milton Dick said opposition energy spokesman Dan Tehan was “pushing the friendship” as the Coalition continually interrupted with points of order that claimed Bowen was not answering the questions.

Dick warned them against quibbling, saying he would stop allowing the opposition MPs to stand and query the quality of response from ministers.