Ley Urges Focus on energy Security,Defense Preparedness in New Speech
CANBERRA – Shadow Minister for Industry,the Arts and Tourism Sussan Ley will today deliver a speech to the Menzies Institute calling for urgent action to bolster Australia’s defence preparedness,with a particular focus on energy and fuel security.
Just days after the Coalition abandoned its commitment to net zero emissions, Ley will emphasize the critical link between energy security and national resilience, advocating for increased fuel supplies.
“Fuel and energy security are now among the most significant things determining our national preparedness to endure a conflict or crisis. And the situation is dire,” she is scheduled to say. “This is why we need to embrace energy abundance and put affordability first. That’s what our plan we released on Monday is all about.”
Ley will highlight data indicating Australia’s liquid fuel supplies would last only weeks if cut off during a conflict, describing current reserves as “dangerously low.” She warned that a disruption to fuel supply could halt domestic freight and aviation within days to a couple of weeks, impacting access to essential services like groceries and medicine.
The speech will also criticize the current government for a perceived loss of momentum on minimum fuel stockholding obligations, and call for increased investment in domestic production, including biofuels and efuels.
Ley will argue australia is diminishing its energy sovereignty despite possessing abundant gas reserves, and that strengthened access to gas is vital for defence programs like the AUKUS submarines. She will also point to the absence of a national AI strategy.
Ley stated she welcomes the increased transparency from national security agency heads and encouraged them to “keep speaking up and out” regarding threats facing the country.
