NatRoad chief executive officer Warren Clark said the government’s actions demonstrated strong recognition of the critical role the trucking industry played in keeping Australia moving.
“These are very welcome measures and a clear sign the government is listening to the concerns of our industry,” Mr Clark said.
“Ensuring reliable fuel supply is essential — because without trucks, Australia stops.”
Mr Clark said the announcements would help provide greater certainty for operators and support supply chains at a time of global instability.
“Improving coordination and securing fuel supply gives confidence to operators who are doing it tough right now,” he said.
“At a time like this, stability in the system is incredibly important.”
However, Mr Clark said the focus must now turn to ensuring trucking businesses have the support they need to manage ongoing cost pressures.
“These companies still have March’s fuel bill to pay,” he said.
“While these measures are an important step forward, many operators are still facing significant financial pressure on the ground.
“Fuel prices remain high, cash flow is tight, and businesses are working hard to stay on the road.”
NatRoad reiterated that complementary measures will be critical to ensure the benefits of today’s announcement flow through to operators as quickly as possible.
“Passing through fuel costs and stabilising supply are key parts of the solution, but we also need to make sure businesses have the capacity to get through this period,” Mr Clark said.
The raft of measures announced by the Federal Government include:
- Fuel excise halved for the next three months, lowering the levy on petrol by 26.3¢ a litre.
- A reduction in government taxes on petrol are designed to take “some of the sting” out of fuel prices.
- The heavy vehicle road user charge will also be axed for six months to help truck drivers.
- Any change to the heavy vehicle charge, which is 32.4¢ per litre on diesel, will be deferred for six months.
