Topics: Geelong refinery fire, Albanese heading to Brunei, fuel shortage

KARL STEFANOVIC: Welcome back to the show. What a week it has been, huh? Airfares, groceries, insurance all going up. Farmers, truckers, small businesses and families all staring into the financial abyss. Does anyone feel like packing it all in and curling into a ball? Let's get a sense check with Independent MP Dai Le and Liberal MP Dave Sharma. Good morning, guys. Nice to see you this morning. Dave, first up, that oil refinery fire looks certainly to have an impact, and I'm not sure the government is making anyone feel at ease at the moment.

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DAVE SHARMA: It's going to have a huge impact, Carl. I mean, it's one of two refineries that produces over 50% of our refined fuel products. The fact that that's gone offline when we're already having a shortage of diesel, petrol, aviation fuel is going to be massive. And I don't think the government can, you know, sugarcoat this or give blind reassurances that everything's going to be okay. We need a plan from them.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: Again, and just information, Dai, the PM secured some framed photos with international litres and enough fuel for just over a day.

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DAI LE: That's right. Look, I think it's really concerning that we are not seeing this as a real critical issue and prioritise this as a national fuel security. And I think it's not something that can wait and not put aside. You know, we need to really address this. The government really needs to get to come together and address our fuel security. The affordability, supply chains resilient. I mean, I went and visited a small business yesterday and, you know, they are just talking about not just fuel, that it's impacting on deliveries, as, you know, as you mentioned, Carl, insurance as well, and other costs that we actually don't think about, such as software upgrades, computer, laptops, everything a small business has to carry, that is really going to push them to the walls. It's just we need to really address this and the opposition have to sit down with the government and work out a plan forward for our country and for the Australian public.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: We have a finite amount of fuel coming our way and unless things miraculously change in the Strait of Hormuz. But it occurred to me last night, I was just sitting there going, well, why don't we get fuel from the US? I mean, they make enough of it for themselves and they also export it. It's a close ally, strategically it would work and they've got enough, even if we pay overs, why wouldn't we get fuel from the US?

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DAVE SHARMA: I think it's a good question. I think Anthony Albanese, rather than going to Singapore and Malaysia and Brunei, should be going to Washington. I mean, the US is the world's largest exporter of refined fuel products a day. They export about 6 million barrels of oil a day equivalent. Our consumption is about 1 million. They're a bigger exporter than Singapore, bigger exporter than South Korea, bigger exporter than Malaysia, and And it would also give the Prime Minister a chance to talk with the US President and key administration figures about how to resolve this conflict so the Strait of Hormuz does get reopened.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: Yeah, and last time I looked, there's not a problem with the shipping channel.

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DAVE SHARMA: No, exactly. Across the Pacific.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: Look, the Reserve Bank, let's talk quickly about that. Dai Li, the Reserve Bank is telling the government, effectively all of us, to support them if they have to raise rates, which they look like doing. How do you feel about that?

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DAI LE: It looks like it. Look, you know what, it's going to be a very difficult time in the next Sure is. You know, 6 months and beyond. And I think that I remember, you know, when the government, you know, claimed that, yes, interest rates have gone down and it's their doing, and then when it's gone up, it's not their doing. And I think that we need to really face the reality and tell our communities how, you know, where we are at the moment economically, financially, so that people are prepared. And people are already pulling in their belts. People are already knowing that it's going to be tough in front. Interest rates is going to go up and they're preparing for all of that, but the government has to be honest and upfront about that.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: It's got to be. I mean, we saw defence spending yesterday, not enough, and I'm not sure that we're prepared for what's coming in the next couple of months.

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DAVE SHARMA: No, not with, I think, a fuel shortage, inflation already running high, and the government's basically shredded all our fiscal buffers by spending too much.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: Yeah, all right, one final one. I wanted to end on something a little lighter, and as I always say, it's been a heavy week, but depending on the way you look at this story, Things couldn't get any weirder in this country. And then I saw this road rage incident on the Gold Coast. So let me lay it out for you. An enraged woman clings to the bonnet of a car. Inside, a prospective Paralympian panics and puts her foot on the pedal. And now she's been sentenced by the courts for dangerous driving. That's right, the driver is the one in trouble. But I'll let you be the judge.

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[CLIP STARTS]

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Go on, sh*t! Go on! Go on, you stupid d*g! Are you going to get off now? You going to get up? She starts hanging on to my car and she went flying off the side of the road.

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[CLIP ENDS]

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DAI LE: Oh my God.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: Okay Dai, How do the— I mean, where do you Where does it start? I mean, how does she get charged?

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DAI LE: Look, I don't know how she got charged. I don't know, obviously, for the whole situation, we don't know, but that is such, the woman that's hanging onto the cart, that was so dangerous. Oh my gosh.

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KARL STEFANOVIC: And Dave, I mean, you were out there cycling a lot. I mean, the cheese is slipping off a lot of crackers at the moment, isn't it?

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DAVE SHARMA: I think people are in pretty febrile moods right now. This is another example.

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KARL STEFANVOIC: All right, I'm glad to send you off all with a little bit of a laugh. Thanks guys, appreciate it.

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[ENDS]