AUSTRALIA | Following months of uncertainty, the ACCC will continue to monitor the price of fuel as excise returns to some sort of normality.
The ACCC said it will continue to closely monitor fuel price changes following the Australian Government’s announcement that it will extend the temporary cut in fuel excise at a reduced rate. From 1 July until 2 August, the fuel excise cut will be lowered from 32 cents per litre (cpl) to 16 cpl.
The ACCC wrote to fuel retailers late last week, reminding them not to take advantage of the partial restoration of excise to profit at the expense of consumers.
The ACCC’s letter also reiterated expectations that fuel retailers be clear and transparent in their communications to customers and be able to validate any claims made, including those in relation to prices.
“The ACCC expects that fuel retailers will not attempt to take advantage of this increase in excise,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.
“We will closely examine fuel price movements and market behaviour, both in the lead up to and following the increase in fuel excise.”
Brakey said that the ACCC will not hesitate to take action if retailers make false or misleading statements about price movements or if there is evidence of anti-competitive behaviour.
As fuel excise is partly restored, the ACCC recognised that retail petrol and diesel prices may rise in line with the excise change; however, other factors, such as international refined fuel price movements, also influence retail prices. Fuel retailers may not face higher costs straight away on 1 July, as new fuel supplies can take time to reach them.
“We encourage consumers to use fuel price apps and websites to compare prices at different retail sites before filling up to save money,” Brakey added.
The ACCC will continue to provide weekly fuel price updates for all capital cities and over 190 regional locations. The ACCC moved from quarterly to weekly monitoring reports in March 2026, following the start of the Middle East conflict.
The ACCC’s latest monitoring update showed that in the week to 24 June, average petrol prices across Australia’s capital cities reduced to below pre-conflict levels, and diesel prices fell to near pre-conflict levels.
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