The Albanese Government's Fairer Fuel amendments passed the Federal Parliament last week.
These changes establish a new urgent pathway in the Fair Work Commission to respond more quickly to applications for road transport contractual chain orders in time sensitive circumstances.
The Transport Workers' Union and Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation have applied for a road transport contractual chain order with terms to address fuel price increases. These parties, supported by major road transport industry associations, wrote to me to request that I make a determination that would allow the application to progress through the new urgent pathway. This would allow the Fair Work Commission to expedite its consideration of the application.
I am considering the evidence available to me on the matters above. I am committed to providing any other parties who wish to comment, an opportunity to provide feedback on my proposed determination.
My department has published a draft of my determination on its website for consultation and is writing to key affected stakeholders to seek their views before I make a decision.
The Fair Work Commission is still required to genuinely engage with the parties in determining the application. To ensure that I can make my decision as quickly as possible, my department is seeking stakeholder comments by 5pm tomorrow 8 April 2026.
Further detail, including how you can make a submission, is available on my department's website at https://www.dewr.gov.au/workplace-relations/announcements/proposed-ministerial-determination-under-fairer-fuel-amendments
