Labor cuts fuel excise for three months, saving Australians 26c a litre on petrol and diesel

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has halved the fuel excise for three months, reducing the cost of petrol and diesel by 26 cents a litre for Australian motorists. The move reverses Treasurer Jim Chalmers's public statement five days earlier that Labor was not considering such a cut, signaling an abrupt policy shift in response to rising fuel costs. At a national cabinet meeting Monday, state and federal leaders also agreed to eliminate the heavy vehicle road user charge for three months to support truck drivers. The dual relief measures represent the government's attempt to manage what it characterizes as a petrol crisis, though Albanese urged Australians to use public transport where possible despite the price relief.