Heavy vehicle road user charge legislative instrument

In line with a decision of Infrastructure and Transport Ministers in April 2022, the Australian Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister, Catherine King, will table the legislative instrument allowing for an increase in the heavy vehicle road user charge.

The charge will increase by 0.8 cents per litre effective from 29 September 2022, which will coincide with an increase in the fuel excise tax credit to 18.8 cents per litre that will offset the impact for heavy vehicle users.

The road user charge is intended to recover the greater cost of maintenance and repair as a result of the use of heavy vehicles on our roads.

The States and Territories have already mirrored the decision in raising heavy vehicle registration fees.

The annual change to the heavy vehicle road user charge follows public consultation on the proposed increase which was undertaken by the National Transport Commission, and Commonwealth, State and Territory Ministers were mindful that an increase needed to be manageable for the industry.

The National Transport Commission will be consulting in September-October on heavy vehicle charge setting for 2023-24 onwards.