There have been changes to the Fair Work Act to help fast-track applications for road transport contractual chain orders.
Road transport contractual chain orders
The Fair Work Commission can make road transport contractual chain orders (RTCCOs) that set rules about pay and conditions for people and businesses in road transport contractual chains. This includes for regulated workersA person who is an employee-like worker or a regulated road transport contractor. and regulated businessesA business that hires contractors in the road transport industry or a digital platform operator who enters into or facilitates a services contract under which employee-like workers perform work..
RTCCOs can include rules about:
- fuel levies
- rate reviews
- cost recovery
- payment times
- termination.
RTCCOs are legally enforceable orders.
The Fair Work Commission (the Commission) is the national workplace relations tribunal and it accepts applications for RTCCOs. To learn more about RTCCOs and the Commission, go to Regulated worker and road transport contractual chain standards.
What's changing
The Fair Work Amendment (Fairer Fuel) Act 2026 makes changes to the rules about RTCCOs by:
- empowering the Minister
- helping fast-track time-sensitive RTCCOs
- making other rules for time-sensitive RTCCOs.
The reforms enable the Commission to set minimum standards for road transport operators and contractors in a timely way during sudden disruptions, such as the recent rising fuel costs.
Empowering the Minister
The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations can now determine that an application to make, vary or revoke an RTCCO is an emergency application.
The Minister can give an application this classification when they believe:
- an event or circumstance (or series of events or circumstances) is having (or is likely to soon have) a significant national negative impact on the road transport industry, and
- it's in the public interest to do this.
The Minister can use this power from 2 April 2026.
Making this determination would help fast-track an RTCCO application before the Commission.
An RTCCO made or changed under an emergency application is called a 'time-sensitive road transport contractual chain order'.
Helping fast-track time-sensitive RTCCOs
The Commission can now speed-up mandatory consultation and commencement timeframes for time-sensitive RTCCOs.
Normally, an RTCCO can't come into effect for at least 12 months (sometimes 6 months in urgent circumstances) from when the Commission publishes a notice of intent and draft RTCCO.
Under the new rules, the Commission can shorten the consultation and commencement timeframes for time-sensitive RTCCOs to whatever timeframe it considers reasonable.
Making other rules for time-sensitive RTCCOs
Unlike other RTCCOs, time-sensitive RTCCOs can only include terms about the time-sensitive event or circumstance (or series of events or circumstances) they relate to. For example, a time-sensitive RTCCO can include rules above fuel levies, but only if they relate to the event or circumstance the RTCCO is about.
Different timeframes also apply to the suspension of time-sensitive RTCCOs. If the Minister or the Commission suspends a time-sensitive RTCCO, the suspension can't be for more than 3 months.
What you can do now
If you're in the road transport industry, we encourage you to monitor active RTCCO applications before the Commission: Regulated worker and road transport contractual chain standards cases.
These applications may move quickly, so you can subscribe to direct updates: Subscribe to email updates.
You can also read the latest information from the Commission on the Fairer Fuel changes as well as access important documents: Fairer Fuel Act commences and new major case announced.
How we can help
A reminder that we're the Fair Work Ombudsman, not the Fair Work Commission.
Our role is to give advice and assistance on workplace rights and entitlements. We can provide advice on, monitor compliance with and enforce RTCCOs once they're made by the Commission.
We already have general information on RTCCOs for those in the transport industry on our Road transport contractual chains page. There's information on minimum standards and rights and protections for those working in the industry.
Keep up to date
To stay up to date and be notified with updates that are relevant to you, subscribe to our email updates. It only takes a few moments to sign up and will help you stay in the loop with changes to workplace laws.
If you want to receive updates on RTCCO applications, a reminder to subscribe with the Commission: Subscribe to email updates.
