The pace of change is truly astounding. In my last newsletter the US had just launched operation Epic Fury and two weeks later the cracks in Australia’s Energy security and economy are truly showing.

In Parliament, we recently debated the Collie Coal (Griffin) Agreement Amendment Bill 2026. As a Liberal Party, we supported the bill because the alternative — allowing the agreement to lapse and the variation fail — would have guaranteed lights going out across Western Australia.

While a power generation issue, this situation highlights the desperate state of Australia’s energy security at a time of deep global instability. The War in Iran and the blockade of the Straits of Hormuz has brought home to all of us just how vulnerable we have become.

Since the early 2000s, Australia has been in dire straits when it comes to fuel security, and the situation today shows that the status quo simply cannot continue.

• Heavy Reliance: Australia imports over 90% of our fuel oil.

• Low Reserves: Although we are required to hold 90 days of net fuel imports under our International Energy Agency (IEA) obligations, we currently hold only 49 days. According to the federal government’s own energy.gov.au site, Australia now has just 19 days of jet fuel cover, 26 days of diesel, and 29 days of petrol.

• Global Instability: Tensions in the Middle East and delays in the Strait of Hormuz are creating supply gaps and driving up prices.

For further thoughts on where we are now, where we are likely to be soon, and what we need to do about it, see my video below:

*Skip to the 3:10 mark in the video for the update on WA Energy Security and the Griffin Coal Bill.

Mental Health & The Black Dog Ride

On Sunday, I joined a group of 65 motorcyclists under the able leadership of Wes and Gayle Sutton for the 2026 Avon Valley Black Dog Ride. Founded in 2009 by Steve Andrews, this movement has grown from a single trip round Australia from Busselton to over 50 "One Dayer" rides nationwide, including nine right here in WA.

The "So What?"

These rides are about so much more than just motorcycles. They’ve become a powerful way to:

• Raise Awareness: Helping shift the stigma around depression and suicide by getting people talking openly.

• Build Connections: Bringing riders and community members together with the mental health services that can really make a difference.

• Offer Shoulder to Shoulder Support: Men usually open up best when they’re doing something side by side? Riding together creates that relaxed, safe environment where real conversations can happen.

On a personal note, being “without wheels” at the moment, I’m very grateful to my mate Kerry for lending me his Harley Davidson Heritage Softail for the day. As a proud “Triumph tragic,” throwing a leg over a Harley for the day felt a bit like wearing another bloke’s jocks — and Kerry took far too much delight in watching me squirm, grinning like a man who’d just won a bet he never told me we made.

But jokes aside — whether we’re riding a Triumph, a Harley, or anything else with two wheels (or three for our disabled brothers and sisters), we’re all on the road for the same reason: to make sure no one has to suffer in silence.

Final Thoughts

A Few Moments' Reflections on St Patrick’s Day

Amidst a busy week, it was a pleasure to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. I wore my ribbon (admittedly the wrong way around!) to honour the saint who brought Christianity to Ireland.

The three-leaf clover, Ireland’s national symbol, was famously used by St. Patrick to explain the Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, to the Irish people. It remains a simple yet powerful reminder of how important symbols are in grounding a nation and a people in its shared values and history.

What symbols do you think ground us as Australians?

Let me know.

Can You Help?

Support the Mission: Putting Western Australia First

I am working hard in the WA Parliament to represent the values that made us a great nation.

From Perth to the red dust of the Pilbara, the forests and beaches of the Southwest, and our great Midwest and Goldfields, my goal is the same: to support communities and businesses in a free, resilient, and secure Western Australia.

To be most effective in this requires boots both on the ground and in the parliament. To advance this fight, we need your help.

Ensuring that common-sense values aren't drowned out requires a strong, coordinated effort. If you believe in what I’m fighting for and want to support the team and me to help more freedom-loving candidates enter Parliament, I’d be grateful for your support.

Every contribution helps us reach the furthest corners of our state:

If you would like to chip in, you can do so here:

Keep Phil Fighting For You

Moving Forward

Thank you for your ongoing feedback on my social media posts; whether positive or negative, it helps me understand where our community stands. I encourage you to keep the conversation going, just remember to keep it respectful!

Have a great week, and let’s keep moving forward.

Kind regards,

Phil

Hon Phil Twiss

Member for the Western Australian Legislative Council

philtwiss.com.au