Jessica Page: If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it is a duck.  This is an emergency. 

It’s the technical state of emergency when you don’t want to admit it’s an. . . emergency.

Those are the words written into the Fuel, Energy and Power Resources Act.

If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it is a duck.

This is an emergency.

The difference is in who the rules really affect.

This isn’t a repeat of the Covid-19 pandemic and sweeping mandates of where you can go, what you do and who it’s with.

It’s a different piece of legislation and it’s the first time it’s ever been used. The target is fuel companies and their supply.

The legislation does include broad powers to not only regulate and direct fuel supplies, but also distribution to the public ie. consumption.

This can include a permit or rationing system. A Minister can issue specific orders to prohibit certain activities and to ensure the “whole resources of the community” are used to best serve the community’s interests.

“We have powers that we could implement in the event that we need to move to other stages of the national fuel security plan, but that’s not what we’re talking about,” Premier Roger Cook said.

“It’s not in preparation for anything. This is us making sure that we are aligned with the other states and with the Commonwealth in relation to our national fuel security plan.

“This is level two of that plan, which requires us to have regulatory powers in place to ensure that we’ve got transparency and understanding of our fuel supply chain.”

The Government intends to use the powers to compel the information from suppliers, but says they won’t be used yet to compel the movement of fuel.

It’s still relying on good will from suppliers, which it says has been lacking from some.

They need to be called out for ducking their basic civic duties.