Don Farrell

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I seek leave to have the second reading speech incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The speech read as follows—

Today the Albanese Labor Government is introducing the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief) Bill 2026.

This Bill will deliver temporary and targeted support to Australian motorists and truckies in a responsible way.

The war in the Middle East is battering the global economy.

Supply chains have been disrupted, equity markets have been volatile, and inflation is creeping up across the globe.

Oil prices today are around twice what they were at the start of 2026 as a result of the conflict.

All of this is flowing through to prices at the bowser, and Australians have been left picking up the tab.

That is why we are taking steps to help shield them from some of the impacts of the war.

As we announced yesterday, this Bill will temporarily halve the fuel excise for petrol and diesel and facilitate changes to the heavy vehicle road user charge to allow for it to be reduced to zero temporarily.

Halving the fuel excise will cut 26.3c a litre off the cost of petrol and diesel.

Including the reduction in the GST component, this will cut the cost of a 65-litre tank of fuel by nearly $19.

Reducing the Heavy Road User Charge to zero will save truckies around $130 on a 400-litre tank of fuel.

This decision has been welcomed by the trucking industry, with the Australian Trucking Association saying it "is the lifeline that small trucking businesses need."

This temporary support will come into effect from tomorrow—although it may take a week or two to flow through to retail prices—and will end on June 30.

Australians understand that this is a short-term measure to deal with immediate challenges.

The scheduled 6 per cent increase in the Road User Charge will also be deferred, and we have called on relevant states to reflect this delay in their registration fees.

By calibrating these measures in a temporary way, we will provide relief while also taking pressure of the entire economy.

Treasury estimates these steps may reduce headline inflation by 0.5 of a percentage point through the year to the June Quarter.

And while it will incur a cost to the Budget, the overwhelming majority of Australians will agree that it is money well spent.

This Bill will also grant the Minister for Transport powers to vary the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge for the next two years, where necessary.

This will ensure the Minister has more flexibility to make temporary changes, allowing the heavy vehicle road user charge to be reduced to zero for three months from 1 April 2026 to help truckies and the transport industry.

Following discussions at National Cabinet yesterday, the States and Territories have also indicated they are willing to give back some of the extra GST revenue that will flow from higher fuel prices.

There are some complexities around how to put that undertaking into effect.

While discussions with the States and Territories are ongoing, the Bill also provides additional flexibility to make further adjustments to the rate of excise if needed to give effect to the undertaking from the States on GST.

The steps we are taking in this Bill today are in addition to all of the actions we have already taken to date, including:

My message to Australians is clear.

We hear you and we are working to make your life a bit easier right now.

The global situation is changing rapidly, but Australians can be assured their government's focus is on easing cost of living pressures, securing our fuel supply, and getting it where it's needed most.

I commend this Bill to the House.

Claire Chandler

():  I rise to speak on the Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief) Bill 2026, a bill that comes before the Senate only because Australians have been pushed to the brink of a fuel crisis and the government has acted too late. The opposition supports this legislation because fuel prices sit at the centre of the cost-of-living pressure. In these circumstances, temporary relief through fuel excise is necessary, and that is why the opposition will not stand in the way of a measure that provides direct, immediate assistance to Australians who are already doing it tough.

Let us also be clear about how we arrived at this point. It was the coalition that led on this policy. Last week, the opposition publicly proposed temporarily halving the fuel excise and cutting the heavy vehicle road user charge. The Leader of the Opposition formally wrote to the Prime Minister, outlining these measures, recognising the urgency of this situation and the pressure facing households and transport operators across the country. The government's initial response on Friday was not to act but to dismiss. The Prime Minister said he would not rush into fuel tax cuts. The Treasurer and the Minister for Climate Change and Energy echoed that position, insisting the focus should be on supply chains rather than excise relief despite price volatility and distribution pressures. This government says that ships are arriving. If so, why are service stations running dry? Why were Australians being told that there was no problem while businesses on the ground were already feeling the impact of fuel shortages and rising prices?

Yet, after a National Cabinet meeting with the states and territories on Monday, the government reversed course. Suddenly, the pressure was too great to ignore, and the Albanese Labor government agreed to temporarily halve the fuel excise and cut the heavy vehicle road user charge to zero for three months. This happened because of the mounting pressure from households and businesses; the consequences of doing nothing had become too obvious. It happened because the coalition applied pressure, showed leadership and forced the government to act.

However, while the government has now adopted the coalition's policy, it has failed to adopt the coalition's fiscal discipline. When the coalition proposed this relief, we identified offsets to pay for it. We think that that is important. That is responsible budget management. This government offered no such plan at the time of adopting our policy and still has offered no plan to offset this expenditure. When asked how it would be funded, the Treasurer offered no offsets at all, instead saying that the cost would be absorbed. Well, if that is the government's idea of responsible economic management, then the bar has been set alarmingly low.

The confusion didn't stop there. Fuel excise interacts directly with GST, yet, when the government announced the cut, it hadn't settled the GST consequences with the states. Within 24 hours, we saw conflicting statements about who would bear the cost, what agreements were required and whether the arrangements were even resolved. Australians were left watching a government announce a major tax change first and work out the details later. This is unfortunately becoming a pattern from this government. One day they are saying there is not a fuel supply problem in; the next we are told that we are in a national fuel crisis. One day the government dismisses excise relief, then the next day, or a few days later in this case, it adopts it without a funding plan and without clarity for the states. This lack of consistency and coordination undermines confidence, and Australians cannot afford that in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, let alone in the middle of the fuel crisis that we are currently experiencing.

The opposition supports this bill because Australians need relief now. We have been very clear and consistent and responsible in articulating that position, but, because of that, we feel the need to make the facts abundantly clear through a second reading amendment to this bill that we are debating this evening, which I will move. This amendment makes clear that this policy originated with the coalition, that the government delayed in acting, that it failed to provide offset and that uncertainty remains around GST arrangements and fuel security. This amendment is about transparency and accountability. It's about ensuring that the record reflects what actually occurred.

Australians deserve leadership now that anticipates problems, not a government that stumbles into action once the damage is already done. While we support the bill, we do so critically and with an amendment that sets the record straight on the delay, the fiscal failure and the lack of serious planning behind this measure.

I move:

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate notes that:

(a) the reduction in fuel excise and corresponding reduction in heavy vehicle road user charge reflects a policy first proposed by the Opposition;

(b) the Government initially denied there was a fuel supply problem in Australia and by delaying taking action to ensure distribution of fuel to where it was needed, exacerbated price pressures and supply shortages;

(c) the Government delayed acting on cost-of-living relief despite mounting pressure on Australian households, small businesses and transporters;

(d) the Government has failed to provide any budget offsets or outline how this measure will be funded, increasing the risk of additional inflationary pressure—where the only fuel guaranteed is for inflation, not for farmers or families;

(e) within 24 hours of the announcement, the Government's proposed GST arrangements have already fallen into disarray, raising further concerns about fiscal credibility and coordination;

(f) uncertainty remains regarding fuel supply security and the risk of heavy-handed market interventions; and

(g) Australians deserve timely leadership and responsible economic management during this national fuel crisis".

Karen Grogan

Senator Chandler, your time has expired. We'll go to Senator O'Neill.

Deborah O'Neill

It's hard to fathom the invective and negativity that are embedded in the contributions in the chamber today by those opposite. Given the real pain people are experiencing when they approach their local to fill up with fuel in the way they normally do and that they are managing their finances to figure out how they can either keep the business going or keep their car on the road—families will be thinking about kids' commitments to sport and rep sports. All of these things are pressing on the minds of Australians. The last thing they need is the carping and negativity that have characterised so much of this debate in this place.

I want to put on the record what actually happened yesterday. Instead of the one-state-against-the-other border ignoring that went on so that people in Albury and Wodonga were fighting across borders, the Australian Labor government has carefully calibrated a response and invited in, at the earliest possible point, all of the leaders from all the states around the country to make sure that we have a well calibrated and well coordinated response. The reality is it was just yesterday when the First Ministers acknowledged that the conflict in the Middle East is a vital part of the ecosystem that is seeing this heightened volatility in global energy markets and the flow-on impacts for our domestic supply chains and prices.

The parliament has just passed a piece of legislation that is going to allow cargos of fuel, in this unbelievably volatile environment, to be able to be underwritten by the government, so we make sure that the supplies that are out there are not disappeared from the market in the way that is against Australian interests. This is a government that's serious—not whingeing and carping, but determined to take the necessary, sensible action to ensure fuel supply. In addition to ensuring that fuel supply and supporting our businesses to continue to do what they do and bring in the fuel that we need in this country, the Prime Minister, in his discussions yesterday with the states, showed great leadership about what needs to happen to assist Australians who are very challenged by this sudden, unpredicted rise in the cost of fuel.

It's not just householders, it's not just farmers and it's not just families or small businesses that are feeling this. It's the providers of the heavy machinery that builds this nation, that's putting all the essential infrastructure in for the housing development that we want and that's building the roads that we need for the productivity gains that this country deserves. The government has got to have a mind to all of those things, and we need to keep afloat the businesses that are building our nation. So it's a very important decision from this government to halve the fuel excise, reducing the cost of fuel by 26.3c per litre. If you've got an average sized car and you put about 65 litres in a tank, that will save $19. And that saving of $19, every time you fill up between 1 April and 30 June, will make a difference to families. It'll also make a difference to businesses.

In addition to that, Australians know, because of our experience with COVID, that keeping our trucks on the road is actually a vital part of making sure our country continues to function until this real challenge of international disorder passes. The heavy vehicle road user charge has been reduced to zero for a period of three months. This is critical to help truckies continue their vital work for our nation.

One of many items of action that the government has undertaken is to provide a plan for what might happen as we move forward—a careful four-stage calibrated plan. Right now, we're making sure the fuel keeps coming in and, with a reduction in the fuel excise, we're making sure Australians aren't hurt at the bowser.

Long debate text truncated.

Tammy Tyrrell

by leave—I note my opposition to the amendments on sheet 3757.

Slade Brockman

The question is that One Nation's amendments, on sheet 3759, be agreed to.

One Nation's circulated amendments

(1) Clause 2, page 2 (table item 1), omit "Sections 1 to 3", substitute "Sections 1 to 4".

(2) Page 2 (after line 12), after clause 3, insert:

4 Review of operation of Act

(1) The Minister must cause an independent review to be conducted of the operation of the amendments made by this Act.

(2) Without limiting the matters that may be considered when conducting the review, the review must consider the potential for conflict with other legislation, including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) the Australian National Registry of Emissions Units Regulations 2011;

(b) the Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Rule 2015;

(c) the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999;

(d) the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007;

(e) the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (Safeguard Mechanism) Rule 2015.

Timing of review

(3) The review must commence as soon as practicable after this section commences.

(4) The person or persons who conduct the review must complete the review before the end of the period of 6 months beginning on the day the review commences.

Minister to be given report of review

(5) The persons conducting the review must give the Minister a written report of the review as soon as practicable after the review is completed.

Minister to table report of review

(6) The Minister must table a copy of the report in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the Minister receives the report.

Paul Scarr

I will now move to amendments. I will first deal with amendments circulated by the opposition, and I refer to those amendments on sheet 3760 and 3766. The question is that the amendments on sheets 3760 and 3766 be agreed to.

Opposition's circulated amendments—

SHEET 3760

(1) Schedule 1, page 7 (after line 3), after item 14, insert:

14A Section 23C

Repeal the section.

_____

SHEET 3766

(1) Schedule 1, page 13 (before line 2), before the heading specifying Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Act 1901, insert:

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

47A Paragraph 87(5A)(a)

Repeal the paragraph.

Malcolm Roberts

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Procedure Committee for inquiry and report by 12 May 2026:

The appropriateness of amending standing order 35 to reduce witness filibustering and deflection in committee hearings, with particular reference to:

(a) the appropriateness of adding the following provisions to standing order 35:

"(4) A questioning senator may at any time interrupt a witness and take back the call from the witness for the purpose of either pressing for an answer or to ask another question.

(5) The witness must cease speaking whenever a senator reclaims the call.

(6) Any interjections after a senator reclaims the call are to be ruled disorderly by the chair.

(7) Witnesses are entitled to write to the committee furnishing any relevant additional information that was unable to be presented because of a senator reclaiming the call."; and

(b) any other related matters.

Sue Lines

The question is that business of the Senate notice of motion No. 2, standing in the name of Senator Roberts, be agreed to.

Malcolm Roberts

I move:

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 2 November 2026:

The suitability of current Commonwealth Government guidelines regarding gender dysphoria for minors, with particular reference to:

(a) the science behind medical intervention;

(b) alternative treatments including counselling;

(c) international trends in treatment;

(d) lived experience of transitioners;

(e) other reviews that may be underway or recently completed; and

(f) any other related matters.

Jane Hume

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jane Hume

Protecting the welfare of young Australians is possibly the most important role we have in this place, and I respect the positions of colleagues across the chamber. I agree with Senator Roberts that we should be looking at the suitability of current Commonwealth guidelines. The coalition supported the Albanese government's decision to task the medical experts at the NHMRC to develop new national clinical practice guidelines for the care of people under 18. We await the public release of its interim advice, due in the middle of this year. However, I oppose the motion for the simple reason that I do not believe that a Senate committee is the appropriate place for the discussion to take place at this time in the absence of that interim advice from the NHMRC. I call on the government to expedite the final guidelines to ensure the welfare of vulnerable Australians. I call for respect for those colleagues who are exercising their conscience, and I am grateful to my party for allowing a conscience vote on this matter.

Nick McKim

I seek leave to make a statement of no more than one minute.

Leave granted.

Colleagues may or may not know that today is the Trans Day of Visibility. It's a day when we ask our community to celebrate trans folks, to show our love for trans people and to show our support for trans people. That we would have to, on this day of all days, vote down yet another attempt by One Nation to create a platform for transphobia, using the Senate to provide parliamentary privilege for people to pile on to trans kids and trans people yet again and cause them even more suffering and pain, is beyond the pale. Trans rights are human rights. Trans people deserve our love and support, not being piled on in a culture war. (Time expired)

Sue Lines

The question is that business of the Senate notice of motion No. 1 be agreed to.

Nick McKim

by leave—I record Senator Payman's support for that amendment.

Maria Kovacic

Pursuant to the order agreed to earlier today, the time allotted for debate on this bill has now expired. I will now put the question before the chair and then put the questions on the remaining stages of the bills. I'll first deal with the amendment circulated by the government. The question is that the amendment on sheet JQ106 be agreed to.

Question agreed to.

The TEMPORARY CHAIR: The question now is that the amendments on sheet 3651 be agreed to.

David Pocock

by leave—Senator Fatima Payman has asked that her support for that amendment be noted.

Sue Lines

I will now deal with the second reading amendment circulated by One Nation. The question is that the amendment on sheet 3747 be agreed to.

One Nation's circulated amendment

At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate:

(a) notes that both parties of government have been warned about fuel security for decades and have failed to secure enough fuel stocks to protect Australians from inevitable global shocks; and

(b) calls on the Government to:

(i) cut the fuel excise by 100% for 3 months and/or remove GST on fuel, which is a tax on a tax, to give immediate 57 cent per litre relief to Australians, while pausing the heavy vehicle road user charge for truckies and road transport businesses,

(ii) declare a national liquid fuel emergency under the Liquid Fuel Emergency Act 1984 to force fuel supplies to the regions and stop price gouging,

(iii) outline plans for rationing so that essential sectors like emergency services, defence, hospitals and food production can be prioritised if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and

(iv) ditch net zero so we can drill Australia's own oil, invest in gas to liquid and coal to liquid technology and rebuild refineries so Australia is never subject to fuel vulnerability again".

Penny Wong

I move:

That:

(1) On Monday, 30 March 2026:

(a) the hours of meeting be 10 am till adjournment;

(b) the following bills be called on immediately and the questions on all remaining stages of the bills be put as follows:

(i) Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Bill 2026—immediately,

(ii) Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner Bill 2025

Defence and Veterans' Service Commissioner (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025—after 60 minutes of consideration, and

(iii) Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025

Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025—after

60 minutes of consideration;

(c) divisions may take place after 6.30 pm for the purposes of the bills; and

(d) the question for the adjournment of the Senate be proposed at 8 pm or following consideration of the bills, whichever is later, and be considered for not more than 30 minutes.

(2) On Tuesday, 31 March 2026:

(a) government business have precedence over all other business at the following times:

(i) midday to 1.30 pm, and

(ii) immediately following the consideration of any proposals under standing order 75;

(b) the questions on all remaining stages of the following bills be put as follows:

(i) National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment (Integrity and Safeguarding) Bill 2025—after 60 minutes of consideration,

(ii) Copyright Amendment Bill 2026—after 60 minutes of consideration,

(iii) Export Finance and Insurance Corporation Amendment (Strategic Reserve) Bill 2026—after 90 minutes of consideration, and

(iv) Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief) Bill 2026—after 90 minutes of consideration;

(c) divisions may take place between 1.30 pm and 2 pm and after 6.30 pm for the purposes of the bills; and

(d) the Senate adjourn without debate at 7.30 pm or following consideration of the bills, whichever is later.

(3) On Wednesday, 1 April 2026:

(a) following the conclusion of the consideration of private senators' bills, the questions be put on all remaining stages of the following bills:

(i) Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Technical Changes No. 1) Bill 2026,

(ii) Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Bill (No. 1) 2025-2026 Appropriation (Fuel Security Response) Bill (No. 2) 2025-2026,

(iii) Veterans' Affairs Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Measures No. 2) Bill 2026,

(iv) Commonwealth Parole Board Bill 2025

Commonwealth Parole Board (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025,

(v) Treasury Laws Amendment (Genetic Testing Protections in Life Insurance and Other Measures) Bill 2025,

(vi) National Health Amendment (Passive Immunological Products) Bill 2026,

(vii) Excise Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025 Customs Tariff Amendment (Draught Beer) Bill 2025,

(viii) Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025,

(ix) Translating and Interpreting Services Bill 2025, and

(x) Migration Amendment (Combatting Migrant Exploitation) Bill 2025;

(b) divisions may take place between 12.15 pm and 2 pm for the purposes of the bills;

(c) consideration of a report by the Selection of Bills Committee take place immediately following motions to take note of answers; and

(d) divisions may not take place after 4.30 pm.

(4) Contributions on the bills listed in paragraphs (1)(b) and (2)(b) be limited to no more than 5 minutes per speaker.

(5) Paragraphs (1)(b), (2)(b) and (3)(a) operate as limitations of debate under standing order 142.

Sue Lines

The question is that the motion as moved by Minister Wong be agreed to.

Penny Wong

I move that a motion relating to the consideration of legislation may be moved immediately and determined without amendment or debate. I move that the question be now put.

Honourable senators: Shame!

Sue Lines

The question is that the question be put.

Sue Lines

The question is that the suspension motion as moved by Senator Wong be agreed to.