MEDIA RELEASE
5 May 2026
Thompson backs Queensland Premier’s fuel storage plan to strengthen national fuel security
Federal Member for Herbert Phillip Thompson OAM MP has welcomed Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s proposal to establish additional fuel storage facilities at major Queensland ports, including Townsville, saying the plan is a practical step to strengthen Australia’s fuel security and resilience.
Mr Thompson said Townsville’s strategic location and existing port and defence infrastructure made it an ideal hub for expanded fuel storage supporting local jobs while protecting northern Australia’s economic and national security interests.
“Fuel security is national security,” Mr Thompson said. “The Premier’s proposal to free up state land for new storage and refining capacity aligns squarely with the Federal Coalition’s plan to deliver more fuel, more storage and more security for Australians.”
“The reality is Australia holds far too little fuel in reserve. That leaves families, small businesses, freight operators and our Defence Force vulnerable to global disruptions. Expanding fuel storage in places like Townsville directly addresses that risk.”
Mr Thompson said the Coalition’s plan would secure fuel security for Australia and establish an $800 million Australian Fuel Security Facility to unlock more than one billion litres of new storage capacity, with a strong focus on diesel.
“Projects like those proposed for Queensland ports would be exactly the kind of investments supported by a Coalition government,” he said.
Mr Thompson also said boosting domestic fuel resilience would help lower costs over time and improve transparency across the supply chain.
“The Coalition has already shown we’re prepared to act by cutting fuel excise to ease costofliving pressures and by opposing Labor’s Safeguard Mechanism, which is effectively a carbon tax on business and threatens refinery viability,” he said.
“We will also introduce a daily public fuel dashboard so Australians can see fuel supply levels in real time, and keep pushing for a Parliamentary Inquiry to learn the lessons of recent fuel disruptions and make sure this never happens again.”
Mr Thompson said supporting new fuel infrastructure, cutting red tape, fast tracking nationally significant energy projects and backing alternative fuels such as biofuels and coal to liquid were all essential to securing Australia’s energy future.
“Townsville and North Queensland stand ready to play a leading role in Australia’s fuel security,” he said. “The Premier’s proposal is a strong step in the right direction and it deserves federal support to get it delivered.”
ENDS