Extend the temporary fuel excise cut for another month — back it or block it?
This bill extends temporary relief on fuel costs brought in after conflict in the Middle East pushed up petrol and diesel prices. From 1 July the fuel excise cut drops from 32c a litre to 16c a litre, and the heavy vehicle road user charge for trucks is set at 16c a litre, before being phased out from early August. The government says the tapering avoids an abrupt price shock while global supply recovers, and that Australia has built up its fuel reserves. The Coalition and crossbencher Monique Ryan both said they would support the bill and not stand in the way of cheaper fuel. The Coalition attacked the government's wider economic record and demanded offsets to pay for the roughly $400 million cost; Ryan wanted proof the savings reach drivers. The debate ran about 71 minutes and was interrupted — no vote yet.
🗳 A public mood-check, not a scientific poll. Vote to see where the room stands.
For · Government (Labor)Infrastructure Minister Catherine King said an abrupt end to the relief would shock people who rely on it, so extending the excise cut by a month keeps petrol and diesel around 16c a litre cheaper — about $11 a tank — while also easing costs for the trucking industry. She said industry groups including the Australian Trucking Association welcomed the measured, staged approach.
For · Monique Ryan (Ind)Ryan said tapering the relief rather than cutting it off abruptly is the right approach, since diesel prices remain elevated and the conflict is unresolved, giving businesses and truck drivers time to adjust. She backed the bill but wanted the government to show how much of the saving actually reached the bowser rather than being absorbed in the supply chain.
For (with criticism) · CoalitionThe Coalition (Tim Wilson, Leon Rebello, Michael McCormack, Alison Penfold) said it would not stand in the way of cheaper fuel and would vote for the bill, arguing the Coalition pushed the government to cut the excise in the first place. But they said the roughly $400 million cost has no inflationary offset, blamed Labor for a home-grown cost-of-living crisis and rising business insolvencies, and demanded the government report how much relief actually reaches motorists.