Coalition's automatic fuel excise "shield" wins trucking industry backing as diesel tops $2.87 a litre
Why it matters: If adopted, this would be the first AU-specific policy mechanism directly tied to the Middle East-driven diesel spike, cutting the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero and halving excise the moment Brent crude sits above US$100 a barrel for a fortnight. It matters to every fleet operator and farmer watching fuel costs eat into margins this harvest.
The federal Coalition has unveiled a "Fuel Price Shield" that would automatically halve fuel excise and zero out the 32.4 cent heavy vehicle road user charge whenever Brent crude averages above US$100 a barrel for two straight weeks. Opposition leader Angus Taylor says the trigger removes the guesswork for households and operators when prices spike, while shadow transport minister Bridget McKenzie points out truckies "cannot simply stop driving when oil prices spike." The Australian Trucking Association has publicly backed the plan, with chair Mark Parry saying operators need certainty, not a scramble for support after the fact. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rejected it as "uncapped and unfunded."
Source: Liberal Party of Australia · 20-21 September 2026 (policy announcement and ATA response); ACCC price data 24 September 2026