SA Up to 3 Years Jail for Attacking Oil Workers During Rationing and Fines for False Information

Petroleum Products Regulation (Emergencies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2026

11 Jun 2026: Passed by Parliament and signed off by the governor.

This bill kicks in: TBA

House of Assembly

Legislative Council

Assent

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Topics

criminal penalties fuel industry law enforcement powers licensing compliance petroleum products police powers public safety regulatory penalties vehicle owner liability

Introduced by: The Hon Tom Koutsantonis MP (ALP)

Links to official parliament websites

Official page: progress through parliament

Official page: bill text and explanatory notes

Effects of this bill

If this bill passes, it means that:

Licensees face fines up to $1 million for breaking licence conditions.
Licensees face fines up to $1 million for ignoring directions during petroleum rationing.
Non-licensees face fines up to $100,000 for ignoring directions during petroleum rationing.
Authorised officers can seize and keep anything they suspect was used in a law breach or is evidence of one. They can also tell a person to hand over items held in breach of the law.
Vehicle owners can be fined or penalised if their vehicle is used to break rules about filling vehicles with petroleum products.
People who assault, threaten, or intimidate someone working in the petroleum products industry during a period of rationing face up to 3 years jail.
The Energy Minister and authorised officers cannot be held civilly or criminally liable for things they do or fail to do in good faith while doing their jobs. Instead, any liability lies with the Crown.
The Energy Minister can send a written notice to anyone involved in a petroleum products business requiring them to provide written information about those products.
People who provide false or misleading information, falsely claim to have a licence, or hinder authorised officers can be fined up to $10,000. Companies can be fined up to $100,000 for these actions.

The Debate

What different members said when this bill was debated:

Ben Hood LIB

“I rise to speak to the Petroleum Products Regulation (Emergencies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill and to indicate that the opposition does have amendments, and I will speak to those amendments along with the amendments from One Nation and the Greens. From the outset, let me say what the Liberal Party’s position is and what it is not. The Liberal Party does not oppose this bill.”

Official source →

Cory Bernardi PHON

“In addressing some remarks to the Petroleum Products Regulation (Emergencies and Other Matters) Amendment Bill 2026, I point out that One Nation is not opposed to the passage of this bill, but we do have some concerns about it, which have been heralded in our proposed amendments, which I will get to in a moment.”

Official source →

Melanie Selwood GRN

“I will speak very briefly on behalf of the Greens on this bill. We have considered this bill and the amendments put forward by One Nation and the Liberal Party. We believe it is the role of government to redistribute our scarce resources to where they are needed most for the benefit of the wider community. Fuel prices are high, due to the conflict in another country.”

Official source →

Justin Hanson ALP

“I am advised that the Petroleum Products Regulation Act is now 30 years old and has only undergone minor amendments in relation to its emergency powers during this time, making a refresh timely.”

Official source →

Sarah Game NULL

“I rise briefly to put on the record that I will be supporting the amendments put forward by the Hon. Ben Hood, as well as the amendments put forward by the Hon. Cory Bernardi.”

Official source →

Kyam Maher ALP

“I thank honourable members for their contributions on this important piece of legislation. We look forward to traversing the amendments that have been put forward by the Liberal Party by the Hon. Ben Hood, from One Nation by the Hon. Cory Bernardi, and the amendment put forward by the Hon. Robert Simms on behalf of the Greens.”

Official source →