Overview

• Government will develop a national road-user charge for EVs this parliamentary term, following a 2023 High Court ruling that blocked state-level schemes.
• Prime Minister Anthony Albanese committed to finalizing the rules before the current term ends, with a productivity roundtable scheduled next week in Canberra.
• Treasurer Jim Chalmers has held meetings with transport and infrastructure stakeholders but has not settled on the charge’s design, timing or concession structure.
• Rapid EV adoption is depleting fuel excise revenue, with the Australian Automobile Association reporting a record 29,244 new battery electric vehicles in the June quarter, up 63% from the prior period.
• Key policy questions remain over whether charges will be distance- or mass-based, how to protect regional drivers and whether the levy will eventually cover all light vehicles.