Portfolio — 1 April 2026

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Ms Rishworth, announced a three-part immediate relief package for truck drivers and transport operators facing fuel price spikes driven by Middle East conflict. The measures are: the heavy vehicle road user charge reduced to zero for three months, the next scheduled charge increase deferred by six months, and the fuel excise halved for three months [TA-260401-house-6ae0f5f9fd41:s160].

These fiscal measures sit alongside Labor's fairer fuel bill, which passed the Senate on Monday and creates a high-threshold pathway for truck drivers and transport operators to seek a fairer share of fuel costs across the supply chain [TA-260401-house-6ae0f5f9fd41:s160]. The Minister reported that the combined package is already producing commercial results, with businesses moving to negotiate cost-sharing arrangements rather than placing the full burden on drivers and operators — citing direct feedback from truck drivers Frank and Zac as evidence of on-the-ground impact.

The package spans both fiscal relief and structural supply chain reform, with the excise and road user charge measures providing immediate cash-flow support while the fairer fuel bill establishes a durable mechanism for ongoing cost allocation disputes.