Fortnightly ALC Government Relations Update No. 14 | 24 July to 6 August 2026

The Department confirmed there has been no change to the Australian Government’s announced position on the phased return of fuel excise and the normal heavy vehicle Road User Charge. Officials are continuing to monitor fuel prices and financial pressures across the road transport sector, particularly among smaller operators, and welcomed further evidence from the industry.

ALC highlighted that fuel costs are adding pressure to an industry already facing:
• rising insolvencies among small and medium road transport businesses;
• an estimated 28,000 vacant truck-driver positions;
• an ageing workforce and limited recruitment pipeline;
• fragmented regulation across jurisdictions; and
• difficulty passing rising operating costs through fixed or long-term contracts.

ALC stressed that smaller operators remain essential to the broader supply chain, particularly for first- and last-mile services, and that their financial instability has consequences for larger freight and logistics businesses.

The Department also advised that work is progressing on potential road user charging arrangements for electric vehicles, covering both light and heavy vehicles. Detailed public consultation is expected, subject to government decisions on timing. ALC offered to support the process by providing operational data and by engaging directly with members.

The meeting also discussed the electricity infrastructure required to support fleet electrification, including competition for grid capacity from data centres and other major users.

Dr Hermione Parsons represented ALC at the NSW Freight Transport Advisory Council meeting in Sydney on 29 July 2026. The meeting included direct engagement with NSW Minister for Transport John Graham and Minister for Roads and Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison, alongside senior freight industry and Transport for NSW representatives.

A major focus was the Western Sydney Freight Line and Intermodal Terminal. Discussion examined the case for extending the project to the Main West Line and St Marys Intermodal Terminal, which industry considers critical to completing the missing freight rail link, improving regional and interstate connections, strengthening network resilience and increasing the benefits delivered by Stage 1.

The Council also considered the proposed Mamre Road data centre development and the risk that non-freight uses could constrain scarce industrial land immediately adjacent to the future intermodal terminal. This remains an important issue for ALC given the need to protect strategically located freight and logistics land from incompatible development.

Transport for NSW also briefed members on the development of the NSW Freight Master Plan, which will provide an integrated view of freight network requirements to 2050, including capacity, reliability, access, resilience, land-use pressures and future freight demand.

ALC’s attendance ensured national supply chain priorities—including freight rail productivity, industrial land protection, network resilience and better integration between state and federal planning—were represented in the NSW Government’s freight policy and infrastructure discussions.

ALC attended the sixth National Coordination Mechanism meeting on Australia’s H5 bird flu response on 31 July 2026. The meeting brought together government agencies, industry representatives, peak bodies, wildlife organisations and First Nations representatives.

Australia’s national response remains activated at Tier 2 under AUSBIOAGPLAN. At the time of the meeting, there were 33 confirmed H5N1 cases and a further 22 suspected cases awaiting confirmation, with detections across coastal areas in Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.

Authorities confirmed local transmission among greater crested terns in South Australia and advised that eradication or containment in wildlife is no longer considered possible. The H5 National Management Agreement has now been activated, shifting the response towards managing risk, supporting affected communities, protecting vulnerable wildlife populations and strengthening biosecurity practices.

The Australian Centre for Disease Control advised that the risk to human health remains low. Chicken meat and eggs remain safe when handled and cooked correctly. No transmission to poultry had been identified in Queensland, NSW had recorded no further cases or reports of sick poultry, and Western Australia had recorded no additional cases.

For ALC, the key issue remains the potential impact on agricultural, food and freight supply chains should the outbreak spread into commercial poultry or begin to affect transport operations and workforce availability. Further national meetings will be held as required.