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Posted by Caroline Tung
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22 June, 2026
FREIGHT transport operators have breathed a sigh of relief at the federal government’s fuel excise extension through July, but more temporary relief must sit alongside longer-term work on fuel security and supply chain resilience, the Australian Logistics Council said.
The extension means petrol and diesel will remain at 16 cents per litre (cheaper than normal fuel excise settings for July), with the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge also reduced by 16 cents for the same period.
ALC chief executive Dr Hermione Parsons said fuel costs were felt across the whole economy, not just at the bowser.
“Diesel is a core operating cost for freight transport. It powers the trucks, freight rail services, ports, warehouses, distribution centres and delivery networks that keep Australia supplied,” she said.
“This extension gives freight transport and logistics operators some breathing room and supports the broader effort to ease cost-of-living pressure for all Australians.”
Dr Parsons said the reduction in the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge for July was particularly important for road freight operators, which included smaller businesses with limited capacity to absorb sudden fuel price increases.
“Every Australian relies on freight, whether they see it or not. Keeping freight costs under control is part of keeping household costs under control," she said.
“This is relief, not a solution."
In an official statement released on 21 June, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he recognised the cooperation of state and territory governments on the fuel excise extension.
"We acknowledge the contribution of the states and territories to use their GST revenue to fund a 5.7% portion of the fuel excise cut over the last three months and will seek support from the states for July at National Cabinet on Monday [22 June]," the statement read.
"Despite the welcome and substantial drop in the price of petrol recently, we recognise people are still under pressure.
"This extra month of fuel discount will help Australian motorists and businesses with the cost of living as this support tapers off."
