Premier Roger Cook names former flood recovery coordinator Rob Cossart to lead WA’s fuel crisis response

Roger Cook has raised WA’s need for a bigger share of diesel compared to other States as he confirmed an experienced incident recovery bureaucrat would lead WA’s management of the deepening fuel crisis. Rob Cossart, the Wheatbelt Development Commission chief executive and former State recovery coordinator in the wake of 2023 flooding in the Kimberley, will take on the role of fuel State supply controller, coordinating with Federal leaders to manage WA’s supplies. Mr Cossart will work with new national fuel tsar Anthea Harris on the national fuel taskforce, as well as working alongside a soon-to-be-formed State Management Team. Mr Cook said ensuring fuel continuity in WA’s mining rich regions was critical for the entire country. “There’s a reason for that, we are the engine room of the national economy when it comes to our mining industry,” he said. He said Anthony Albanese had acknowledged the importance of WA’s fuel supply but stopped short of saying a concrete pledge had been made. “The Prime Minister certainly identified Western Australia as an area where we need to make sure that fuel supply is continued,” he said. “Also he acknowledged that a lot of our smaller miners rely upon diesel generation for their energy. “I thanked him for making that observation and obviously we’ll work with the Commonwealth now to ensure that we get those supplies.” Mr Cook said National Cabinet had taken a unanimous view on Thursday that the prospect of fuel rationing was not currently on the table and if it ever was, would need to be a national approach. Mr Cossart was also previously district recovery coordinator for the Shackleton Complex and Narrogin East bushfires which burned through the Wheatbelt in February 2022. The Premier said he would be a good fit for the job. “Mr Cossart has a back strong background in incident management, having successfully overseen the response to the Kimberley floods,” Premier Roger Cook said. “Mr Cossart will work closely with the new state management team of public sector leaders, which will be formed to coordinate our response across government agencies. “Mr Cossart will also work closely with national fuel supply coordinator Anthea Harris to ensure the national fuel security response delivers for Western Australia.” Mr Cook also provided an update on ACCC investigations, after laying blame on the national body a day earlier for not fast tracking supplies to the regions. He said the ACCC was now compiling applications from fuel suppliers and distributors and that he expected that would be completed by the end of the day. Mr Cook said the ACCC had a crucial job to play. “What we want to make sure though, is that suppliers and retailers are not taking advantage of people’s anxieties,” he said. “The best way we can ensure that that doesn’t take place is, one, we have regulatory oversight from consumer protection in the ACCC, and two, that people utilise Fuelwatch and other resources to make sure they can get the best possible price.”