Fortnightly ALC Government Relations Update No. 20 | 16 October to 29 October 2026

Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport has officially commenced passenger operations, with the first domestic flight departing for the Gold Coast on 25 October and the first international passenger service arriving from Auckland the following morning. The Prime Minister told Parliament the airport followed around 15 years of planning and seven years of construction, involving 13,000 workers.

The Government is positioning the airport as part of a broader Western Sydney economic precinct, alongside the Aerotropolis and Moorebank Intermodal Precinct. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor also welcomed the opening, noting further infrastructure work will be needed to realise the precinct’s full potential.

Fuel prices eased during the week ending 25 October but remain well above the same period last year. The national average diesel price fell 1.4 cents to 279.3 cents per litre. Diesel remains 95.3 cents per litre higher than a year ago. 

Wholesale diesel moved slightly higher over the week to 261.9 cents per litre, despite being 11.6 cents lower than a month earlier. Singapore diesel increased 4.9 cents over the week to 158.3 cents per litre, while Brent crude fell 7.3 cents to 109.0 cents per litre.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen reported that Australia had 39 days of petrol, 31 days of diesel and 28 days of jet fuel as at 24 October. Petrol and diesel holdings were each two days lower than the previous week. Forty-five fuel ships were en route to Australia, with around three billion litres contracted for delivery over the next four weeks.

Bowen said the Government continued to work with domestic refineries and suppliers across Southeast Asia, the Middle East and India. He also acknowledged that even after the Middle East conflict ends, fuel prices are unlikely to return immediately to previous levels because of damage to regional infrastructure and the time markets need to recover.

A new heavy vehicle rest area at Pimba and upgrades to the existing Arcoona rest area have been completed in remote South Australia under the Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Initiative. The $4.25 million project was jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments and services a section of the network used by around 330 heavy vehicles each day.

Both sites accommodate up to four triple road trains at a time. The works include sealed parking, improved access, drainage, shelter and amenities. The Stuart Highway is a major freight corridor between South Australia and the Northern Territory, and the governments have positioned the upgrades as both a driver-fatigue measure and a freight productivity investment.

NSW Opposition transport spokesperson Natalie Ward welcomed the opening of the Sydney Metro City & Southwest extension but criticised operational issues involving six platform doors and argued the State’s major infrastructure pipeline falls away after 2032. 

Ward said the Metro demonstrates the value of long-term infrastructure planning, while arguing that further investment is needed beyond the current pipeline. These comments are Opposition positions rather than new government commitments.

Australian transport ministers have approved the updated National Voluntary Guidelines for Landside Stevedore and Empty Container Park Charges. The revised Guidelines will take effect from 1 January 2027 and extend the existing voluntary framework to empty container park operators.

Under the updated arrangements, participating stevedores and empty container park operators agree to change landside charges no more than once a year, on 1 January or the next business day. Operators intending to adopt the Guidelines from 1 January 2027 are asked to provide a Notice of Intention to the relevant state transport agency by 2 November 2026.

Following consultation, the final Guidelines have been adjusted so information requirements align across stevedores and empty container park operators, confidential information no longer needs to be provided to transport agencies, and the minimum consultation period after publication of a Notice of Intention is 21 calendar days for both operator types.

Culvert upgrades are underway east of Kalgoorlie as part of the $2.8 billion Network Investment Program being delivered by the Australian Government and ARTC. Ageing culverts at three locations between Kalgoorlie and Zanthus will be replaced to improve drainage and reduce the risk of flood damage along the east-west freight corridor. 

The new culverts are designed to manage a one-in-100-year flood event, including projected climate impacts to 2060. Since 2024, new culvert banks have been installed at 27 sites between South Australia and Western Australia, reducing washaway risk at 35 existing locations

The Victorian Government has announced a $1 million Better Freight Outcomes Fund for communities in Melbourne’s inner west affected by heavy vehicle traffic. The fund will use proceeds from penalties issued to trucks breaching no-truck zone regulations and will support local projects to improve amenity and the local environment. 

The fund will commence in 2027, with community consultation now underway on its design. The Government has linked the initiative to broader freight measures in Melbourne’s west, including the West Gate Tunnel, no-truck zones, freight rail and the Freight Decarbonisation Co-Investment Program. The survey closes on 1 November 2026.

The WA Legislative Assembly has passed the Rail Freight System (Acquisition and Reorganisation) Bill 2026, with both the Liberal Party and Nationals supporting the enabling legislation. The Bill establishes the framework for the State Government to acquire the 5,600-kilometre below-rail freight network, subject to due diligence, value for money and ongoing negotiations with Brookfield. 

During detailed consideration, Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said the Government’s objective is to improve access, pricing transparency, maintenance and investment, while creating a stronger basis for moving more freight by rail. She also confirmed the Government would rule out 100 per cent private equity ownership, publish the future lease and provide quarterly updates on the acquisition process. 

The Government is aiming to resolve the acquisition within the next 12 months, subject to negotiations. The Bill has now been transmitted to the Legislative Council.

A diary tabled in the Senate provides further detail on the scale of Commonwealth coordination during the 2026 fuel supply crisis. Between March and August, the Fuel Supply Taskforce Coordinator held regular meetings across government, fuel suppliers, industry bodies, state and territory governments and major businesses.

The diary records repeated engagement with DCCEEW, PM&C, DISR, DFAT, Treasury, NEMA, the Australian Energy Regulator, AIP, ACAPMA, Viva Energy, BP, ExxonMobil, Shell, Ampol, Woodside and state fuel coordinators. It also includes meetings focused on fuel security, liquid fuel supply, prioritisation, national oil supplies, gas market issues and broader supply chain risks.

The document shows the taskforce operating as an ongoing coordination mechanism across government and industry rather than as a short-term response. It also points to continued work on supply prioritisation and national fuel security arrangements through mid-2026.