Overview

• Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt confirmed that discussions with states and territories on an EV road-user charge are ongoing but cautioned against expecting an imminent decision.
• Treasurer Jim Chalmers is accelerating work on a modest road-user levy to offset shrinking fuel excise funds driven by growing EV adoption and more fuel-efficient vehicles.
• Victoria’s 2023 two-cent-per-kilometre charge was invalidated by the High Court, prompting a federal-led approach to navigate constitutional excise constraints.
• Industry bodies including Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and the Australian Electric Vehicle Association advocate for a technology-neutral, mass-and-distance-based model covering all vehicles to ensure fairness.
• Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce criticizes EV owners as freeloaders for avoiding fuel excise, while state and federal ministers emphasize that any national scheme will be a long-term project.