MEDIA STATEMENT 30 March 2026
Today’s decision by the Albanese Government to halve the fuel excise is good news for Australians. Families, tradies and small businesses who have been doing it tough will welcome immediate relief at the bowser, and that is exactly what should matter.
But let’s be absolutely clear. This was the Coalition’s plan.
Just days ago, the Coalition put forward a practical, targeted and fully funded proposal to cut fuel prices by around 26 cents per litre for three months. We called on the Government to act, and today, they have adopted that plan almost word for word.
That is a win for Australians.
What has followed, however, is nothing short of extraordinary. Instead of being upfront, the Government has tried to pull the wool over the nation’s eyes once again, claiming in Question Time and across the media that this was their idea all along, and that it had nothing to do with Angus Taylor or the Coalition.
They cannot even bring themselves to acknowledge where this policy came from. Australians deserve better than that.
For years, Labor has accused the Coalition of not working constructively or acting in the national interest. Yet today, they have taken our policy and implemented it wholesale. You cannot reject cooperation one day, then quietly copy the Coalition the next and pretend it was your plan all along.
The truth is simple. The Coalition led, and the Prime Minister followed, once again behind the eight ball.
More can and should be done. Australians are still facing a deepening fuel crisis, rising costs and ongoing pressure on household budgets. Temporary relief is important, but it must be backed by a broader plan to strengthen fuel security and ensure supply is getting to where it is needed most.
This Government has been slow to act and reluctant to be honest. Today proves that when the Coalition puts forward practical solutions, the Government eventually comes around.
The least they could do is be upfront about it.
I will always back practical measures that help our community on the Sunshine Coast and right across Australia. But Australians deserve honesty, and under this Labor Government, they are not getting it.
[ENDS]
Media Contact: Brendan West – 0402 556 646 – Brendan.west@aph.gov.au
