Joanne Ryan (Lalor, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Patience is a virtue. My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. How is the Albanese Labor government easing pressures on the road transport industry?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Lalor for her question and, of course, her ongoing advocacy for truck drivers right across this country. The spike in fuel prices as a result of the conflict in the Middle East is putting pressure on families and businesses. Of course, our government recognises these are challenging times for Australians, including for our road transport industry, and that is why the Albanese Labor government has taken swift action to secure our fuel supplies and ease pressures on businesses, households, truckies and the transport sector. Our government has reduced the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero from today for three months to help truckies continue their vital work for our nation. The government has also deferred the next schedule increase in the heavy vehicle road user charge by six months. In addition to these measures, we have halved the fuel excise for three months to make fuel cheaper for Australians. These measures are making a real difference across Australia, including to our road transport industry. The Australian Trucking Association chair, Mark Parry, describes these combined measures as a lifeline.

In addition to these measures, I am very pleased to inform the House that Labor's fairer fuel bill passed the Senate on Monday. This bill creates an urgent pathway with a high threshold that allows truckies and transport operators to argue for a fairer share. Labor's fairer fuel bill has been welcomed right across the transport industry by the industry operators, the owner-drivers and, of course, the unions. Frank, a truck driver who was in parliament this week, said the amendment would go a long way to helping truckies manage rising costs. I am pleased to report to the House today that these laws are already having an impact.

Zac, a truck driver, told me that the passage of these laws is already making a difference by encouraging negotiations. He said businesses are now coming to the party to make sure our higher fuel costs are covered, and this is a good thing. Truckies and transport operators, like Zac and Frank, deserve the increase in fuel costs caused by the conflict in the Middle East to be shared fairly across the supply chain and not be forced to shoulder these rising costs alone. It is only a Labor government that has and will take strong action to secure our fuel supply and help people with the cost of living and keep Australia moving.