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❓ Question regarding the discrepancy between the State Hazard Plan alert level and the invocation of emergency powers related to fuel supply disruption. The Minister's answer deflects by stating the plan and emergency powers are not acutely linked.

AnsweredQoN 1572Legislative Council

Asked

14 April 2026

Member

Hon Steve Martin

Portfolio

Energy and Decarbonisation

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the State Hazard Plan - Energy Supply Disruption, which outlines the response at a state level to fuel supply disruptions and identified the Coordinator of Energy as the responsible Hazard Management Agency (HMA) for managing liquid fuel supply disruptions, and noting that the Minister advised in answer to my Parliamentary Question on 19 March that the current alert level under the plan is set at ""...currently set at level 1, yellow, reflecting an increased need to collaborate across industry in response to acute shortages in regional locations.", and noting that the Minister on 1 April 2026 sought an order from the Governor to utilise emergency powers under theFuel, Energy and Power Resources Act, I ask:(a) Did the triggering of emergency powers take place when the state's alert level under the state plan was still Level 1 - Yellow;(b) Why was the escalation alert level not changed to "Level 2 - Amber" or "Level 3 - Red", given that page 24 of the plan, which outlines responses, identified under "Level 2 - Amber" use of "Emergency related provisions under contracts, licences or industry specific legislation" at an industry/market level and "Implementation of State level 2 incident arrangements established under the State emergency management legislative and policy famework." at a government level, and identified under "Level 3 - Red" the government's use of "...exercise of emergency powers and emergency regulations", a response not available under the lower alert levels; and(c) In relation to (b), if the alert level was changed, when was the public notified?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

14 May 2026

Responded by

Leader of the House representing the Minister for Energy and Decarbonisation

Response time

6 days

(a) – (c)
The use of powers under the Fuel, Energy and Power Resources Act 1972 are not acutely linked to the State Hazard Plan for Energy Supply Disruption.

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