Summary
No bills were introduced in the Senate on 24 March 2026 and no divisions were held. During question time, Senator Claire Chandler asked Minister Tim Ayres why the government could not provide a national figure for service stations that have run out of fuel; Ayres offered partial data including that 164 petrol stations in New South Wales lack diesel, representing approximately 7% of stations. Senator Sarah Henderson asked when the government became aware of six cancelled fuel shipments; Ayres did not provide a specific date and cited the confidential nature of commercial information. Senator David Shoebridge asked Minister Penny Wong whether the government supports the war in the Middle East; Wong did not directly answer and focused on the Iranian regime and criticism of the Greens. Senator Fatima Payman asked whether the Fair Work Ombudsman's wage theft investigation team has referred any matters to Federal Police or the Commonwealth DPP in the 15 months since wage theft was criminalised; Minister Murray Watt committed to provide that information later. Senator David Pocock asked why the Prime Minister has not responded to the Murphy gambling advertising review after 1,000 days; Wong did not address the status of the report.
Questions
Fuel
Senator Chandler asked why the government couldn't provide a national figure for service stations that have run out of fuel. Minister Ayres deflected by suggesting the figures were available but blamed the format of the question, then provided partial data including that 164 petrol stations in New South Wales lack diesel (approximately 7% of stations) and cited Tasmania as an example with only one station affected.
Fuel Security
Henderson asked when the government became aware of six cancelled fuel shipments. Ayres did not provide a specific date, instead discussing the government's ongoing communication with fuel companies, the confidential nature of commercial information, and the minister's actions on Saturday and Sunday without directly answering when awareness occurred.
Middle East
Senator Shoebridge asked if the government still supports the war in the Middle East. Minister Wong deflected from the direct question, instead focusing on the Iranian regime's actions and criticisms of the Greens' approach, without explicitly stating whether the government currently supports or opposes the conflict.
Workplace Relations
Senator Payman asked whether the Fair Work Ombudsman's wage theft investigation team has made any referrals to Federal Police or the Commonwealth DPP in the 15 months since wage theft was criminalized. Minister Watt did not directly answer the question, instead committing to provide specific information later and pivoting to emphasize the Labor government's achievement in criminalizing wage theft and criticizing opposition parties for voting against the legislation.
Gambling Advertising
Senator Pocock pressed Minister Wong on why the Prime Minister has not responded to Peta Murphy's landmark gambling advertising review after 1,000 days, questioning whether the response is being deliberately held back. Minister Wong deflected from the direct question by rejecting Pocock's assertions as "unnecessarily personal," emphasizing instead that the government has taken more action on gambling harms than any government since Federation, including banning credit card use for online wagering and implementing win/loss statements, without addressing the specific status of the Murphy report response.
Fuel
Senator Bell questioned the government about fuel supply failures driving up prices of essential building materials like PVC pipes by up to 35 per cent, exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis. Minister Ayres acknowledged price challenges in PVC piping but denied immediate shortages, blamed previous government policies including refinery closures, and highlighted the current government's minimum fuel stockholding obligations, rather than directly addressing what the government is doing to prevent these price rises.
Sovereign Capability
Senator Kovacic asked what steps Minister Ayres has taken to get offline ammonia plants back online amid supply chain concerns. Ayres acknowledged Australia's import dependency, outlined coordination efforts with farmers and producers, and highlighted government intervention in the Mount Isa facility, but did not specify concrete steps being taken to address the immediate offline status of the Yara Pilbara and Kooragang facilities.