Media Release | 9 April 2026
Lachlan Hunter MLA
Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food
The Member for Central Wheatbelt and Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Food, Lachlan Hunter MP, says the Cook Labor Government is failing to manage the fuel crisis, with the town of Dowerin left without diesel for eight days.
Mr Hunter said the situation exposes the growing gap between what the Government is saying and what is happening across regional Western Australia.
“Labor keeps telling us there is no supply issue and that fuel is being prioritised to the Wheatbelt. That is simply not true,” Mr Hunter said.
“In Dowerin, there has been no diesel for eight days. Across the regions, we are hearing the same story. Empty bowsers, delayed deliveries and farmers left in the dark.”
“With seeding underway, this is not a minor inconvenience. Farmers are operating without certainty about whether they will have diesel next week. That puts production, freight and regional communities at risk.”
Mr Hunter said the Government’s repeated advice to check the FuelWatch website shows how out of touch it is with regional WA.
“Many Wheatbelt towns are not even listed on FuelWatch. Telling people to ‘just drive to the next servo’ shows a complete lack of understanding of distances in regional Western Australia,” he said.
“In some cases, that next fuel station is hundreds of kilometres away. Encouraging people to drive further only increases fuel use and drives up costs.”
Mr Hunter also criticised the Government for failing to respond to serious concerns around fertiliser security.
“The Nationals have formally written to both the Transport Minister and the Agriculture Minister asking what action is being taken to secure fertiliser supply ahead of seeding,” he said.
“We have heard nothing.”
“This is a clear case of responsibility shifting. No one is taking ownership, and regional industries are paying the price.”
Mr Hunter said the Government must urgently prioritise fuel and fertiliser supply to critical sectors.
“Regional WA needs leadership, it needs coordination, and it needs fuel and fertiliser delivered where and when it is required.”
ENDS
