Trucking Industry Welcomes Fuel Tax Relief Extension

The Australian Trucking Association has welcomed the Government’s announcement today that it will extend its fuel excise and truck road user charge relief to the end of July, but with new rates.

From 1 July, fuel excise will be 16 cents per litre lower than its normal rate. The heavy vehicle road user charge will also be 16 cents per litre lower than its normal rate.

The relief package was originally scheduled to end on 30 June, which would have seen a 32 cents per litre increase in fuel excise and a 32.4 cents per litre increase in the road user charge.

ATA CEO Mathew Munro said the extension recognised that trucking businesses would have had difficulty managing such a large increase.

“There are trucking businesses teetering on the brink, and such a large jump could have been disastrous for them,” Mr Munro said.

“Trucking businesses and their customers will still face an increase in effective tax rate on fuel, but it will be more manageable.

“The ATA would have preferred to see the full reduction extended until the crisis is completely over, but the Government’s decision will soften the blow and give it the scope to extend the timing of further increases if there are delays in the US-Iran negotiations under last week’s MoU,” he said.

The ATA is a united voice for its members on trucking issues of national importance. Through its 13 member associations, it represents the 60,000 businesses and 200,000 people who make up the Australian trucking industry.