CEO UPDATE
As we approach the end of the year, fuel security and the rising cost of moving freight remain front of mind. While diesel prices have eased slightly, they remain more than 90 cents per litre higher than a year ago. ALC continues to raise these pressures directly with the Australian Government, including through the reinstated fortnightly transport industry fuel security briefings. Improving fuel availability is important, but affordability remains a serious challenge for our industry.
Our engagement with governments across the country also continues. In New South Wales, we are contributing to the development of the Freight Master Plan, with a strong focus on protecting industrial land, improving freight access and strengthening connections across the supply chain. We are also closely monitoring commitments ahead of the Victorian election and progressing submissions on national resilience, aviation safety and freight transport regulation. Recent investment in Western Australia’s grain freight network is a welcome example of how targeted infrastructure upgrades improve productivity.
As always, our priority is ensuring the experience of ALC members informs government decisions and delivers practical outcomes for Australia’s supply chain logistics and freight transport industry.
UPCOMING MINISTERIAL & GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
UPDATES ON PREVIOUS SIGNIFICANT MEETINGS
POLICY SUBMISSIONS
WORK IN PROGRESS
POLICY SUBMISSIONS
LODGED
HIGHLIGHTS OF ALC MEETINGS | 30 OCTOBER TO 12 NOVEMBER 2026
The Department of Infrastructure confirmed that the transport industry fuel security forum would resume fortnightly. The Department acknowledged continued fuel-price volatility across aviation, road, freight rail and passenger transport, with some businesses absorbing higher costs or facing limited ability to pass them through.
The Department also committed to working with the freight rail industry and ARTC, continuing work with aviation on cumulative regulatory and operating costs, and providing regular updates on the TRACK program.
For ALC, continuing these briefings provides an important channel to keep member concerns about diesel prices, cost recovery, fuel availability, and supply chain resilience directly in front of government.
ALC participated in the AURIN Industry Advisory Committee meeting. Discussion focused on the AURIN Edge pilot, which gives researchers access to high-value datasets, including Nearmap imagery, Domain property data, and Mobility+ movement data, to support practical urban and regional research. The program has attracted strong interest, with projects spanning transport, housing, infrastructure, energy and mobility.
Of direct relevance to ALC, AURIN continues to explore transport and logistics datasets and ways to connect industry and government with research projects. The Committee also continued work on data centres, infrastructure and the relationship between research, policy and industry needs.
ALC Managing Director Dr Hermione Parsons participated in the NSW Freight Transport Advisory Council meeting, alongside Ministers John Graham and Paul Scully and senior Transport for NSW officials. The agenda included the NSW Freight Master Plan, statewide industrial land policy, freight reform and FTAC priorities.
The NSW Freight Master Plan is being developed as an end-to-end plan for the freight system. Initial work covers customers and supply chains, road freight, freight rail, freight precincts and industrial land. ALC is also represented on the dedicated Freight Master Plan Sub-Committee.
The Sub-Committee supported stronger recognition of the whole logistics system, industrial land protection, interoperability, resilience, data, productivity and the need to use the right mode for the task. These themes closely align with ALC’s end-to-end supply chain logistics and freight transport advocacy.
FTAC also confirmed shared priorities around heavy vehicle access, freight rail capacity and reliability, protection of industrial land, workforce, practical decarbonisation, regional resilience, freight data and urban freight access. ALC was identified among the members supporting several of these priorities.
The National Coordination Mechanism continued coordinating the H5 bird flu response, bringing together NEMA, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and state and territory jurisdictions. The meeting included a national situation update, jurisdictional updates and discussion of emerging issues requiring coordinated action.
For ALC members, the NCM process is important for the early identification of issues with potential flow-on effects across the supply chain logistics and freight transport industry. An escalation in the response could affect agricultural production, the movement of livestock and food products, biosecurity controls, access arrangements, and continuity of supply, particularly where restrictions or additional controls affect regional and interstate movements.
GEOPOLITICAL & TRADE UPDATES
Australia’s fuel supply position remains stable, but diesel prices are still well above pre-conflict levels.
As of 9 November, Australia held around 31 days of diesel, 41 days of petrol and 28 days of jet fuel. A further 2.8 billion litres of fuel was scheduled to arrive from overseas over the following four weeks.
For freight operators, price remains the bigger issue. On 4 November, diesel averaged about $2.76 a litre across the five major capitals, around 99 cents a litre higher than before the Middle East conflict. Singapore diesel benchmark prices were also around 91 per cent above pre-conflict levels.
What this means for members: Australia has fuel coming in, but costs remain high. Road freight, freight rail, agriculture and regional supply chains continue to feel the impact. Supply security and affordability are two different issues, and both still need close attention.
Further reading: Australian Government, Fuel Plan statistics | DCCEEW, Australia’s fuel security
There has been an important shift in Europe-Australia shipping routes.
MSC confirmed on 31 October that its Australia Express service had resumed operations through the Red Sea and Suez route after an extended period of disruption. Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd are also returning more services to Suez, with the ME1 service moving from the Cape of Good Hope route in early November.
Shorter routes should help reduce transit times between Europe, Asia and Australia and ease some of the extra cost associated with sailing around southern Africa.
Security risks have not disappeared. MSC is still applying piracy and Suez Canal surcharges on some routes from 15 November, and carriers continue to monitor conditions in the Red Sea closely.
Further reading: MSC, Australia Express returns to the Red Sea and Suez route | Maersk, ME1 service moves back to the Suez route
Critical minerals remain a major part of the economic competition between China, the United States and other major economies.
On 10 November, Resources Minister Madeleine King met with the US Export-Import Bank to progress further investment in Australian critical minerals projects. Australia and the US have announced more than A$6 billion in support for projects during the first year of their bilateral framework.
The Australian Government also refreshed its Critical Minerals Strategy in late October, with a stronger focus on economic resilience, national security and domestic processing.
What this means for members: More mining and processing investment means more freight. New projects will place additional demand on regional roads, heavy transport, freight rail and ports. Transport infrastructure needs to be planned alongside new mines and processing facilities, rather than after projects are already underway.
Further reading: Australian Government, Australia and US work to unlock critical minerals investment | Australian Government, refreshed Critical Minerals Strategy
ALC IN THE NEWS
OPEN SUBMISSIONS
National Transport Commission, National European Train Control System (ETCS) Mandatory Standard.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Draft guidance for drone-drone deconfliction.
NSW Department of Planning, Employment Lands.
For further details or to contribute to these discussions, please email: policy@austlogistics.com.au.
SUBMITTED
Parliament of Australia, Inquiry into Australia’s national civil preparedness and resilience.
Civil Aviation Safety Authority, Airworthiness Operational Safety Requirements under the AusSORA Framework.
ANCAP Safety, Delivering Safer Heavy Goods Vehicles for Australia and New Zealand.
Issued by:
Samantha Leighton,
Head of Government and Industry Affairs
Period: 16 October to 29 October 2026
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