Motion · 24 March 2026
Fuel-supply crisis: Mitigation measures
Wording in the final text came from Chris SteelLabor · Minister (1), Fiona CarrickIndependent · Crossbench (1)
In short
A 50c fare trial became a call to consider free fares for concession holders. Mark Parton's motion during the 2026 fuel-supply crisis asked for a 50c public transport fare trial. The agreed version, changed by Chris Steel, asks the Government to consider free public transport for concession card holders, and asks for federal funding for free fares during the crisis and 50-cent fares after it. Our summary, review in progress
- Proposed
- Mark Parton brought this motion on 24 March 2026.
- Changed
- 4 changes proposed by 4 MLAs; 2 agreed, from Chris Steel and Fiona Carrick.
- Decided
- Agreed as changed. No individual votes were recorded, so this doesn't show who supported it.
- Final wording
- Compared with the original, 74 words taken out and 110 words put in. See every difference
- What was proposedMark PartonLiberal · Opposition
Read the original wording (350 words)
That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the rising cost and growing supply issues surrounding petrol and diesel as a consequence of the war in the Middle East; (b) that diesel is selling for over $3 a litre in the ACT and Unleaded 91 is retailing for above $2.40; (c) that according to data from the Australian Institute of Petroleum, Australia has seen the sharpest rise in fuel prices in the developed world since the start of the Iran War; (d) that the federal fuel excise is sitting at 52.6 cents a litre and makes up around 20 percent of the cost of a tank of petrol; and (e) ACT Labor has long claimed that their working relationship with the Albanese Government is much more collaborative than was the case with the previous government; (2) further notes that: (a) Canberrans are experiencing an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis; (b) since the start of March, the average price of petrol and diesel across the Territory has risen by 28 percent and 44 percent respectively, meaning Canberra motorists have paid an additional $10-$15 million to refuel; (c) in 2024, the Queensland Government introduced 50-cent fares across the entirety of the state’s public transport network as a tangible cost-of-living measure; and (d) increasing public transport ridership will assist in reducing congestion on Canberra roads; (3) calls on all party leaders and independent Members to write to the Prime Minister and strongly urge him to temporarily reduce the level of federal petrol excise as a cost-of-living measure during the Middle East crisis; and (4) calls on the Government to: (a) by 6 April 2026, or as soon as practicable, implement a trial of 50-cent fares across the Transport Canberra network until 30 June 2026 to incentivise public transport use to ease congestion; and (b) report back to the Assembly with monthly usage data for the period of the trial. Paper: Mr Parton, by leave, presented the following paper: Fuel excise—Call for immediate action—Copy of letter to the Prime Minister of Australia from the ACT Leader of the Opposition, dated 24 March 2026.
Grouped by key words as: rewrote the proposal, changed a number or target.
The exact wording of this change
Omit all words after paragraph (2)(d), substitute: “(3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) adopt free public transport for concession card holders as a form of cost-of- living relief for those who are in the greatest need; and (b) seek federal funding to enable the provision of: (i) free public transport for the duration of the fuel supply crisis; (ii) 50-cent fares beyond the period of the crisis; and (iii) an uplift in investment in public and active transport assets and infrastructure; and (4) calls on all members, through their party leaders where relevant, to write to the Prime Minister to advocate for the implementation of a 25 percent tax on gas exports, to shift the cost burden for these reforms away from the average Australian and towards those profiting from this fuel supply shock.”. Debate continued.
Not agreed in a recorded vote, 6 to 16.
Ayes 6
- Andrew Braddock, Jo Clay, Laura Nuttall, Shane Rattenbury
- Fiona Carrick, Thomas Emerson
Noes 16
- Andrew Barr, Marisa Paterson, Michael Pettersson, Chris Steel, Tara Cheyne, Rachel Stephen-Smith, Caitlin Tough, Taimus Werner-Gibbings, Suzanne Orr
- Mark Parton, Chiaka Barry, Peter Cain, Leanne Castley, Ed Cocks, Jeremy Hanson, James Milligan
Replaced a 50c fare trial by 6 April with considering free public transport for concession holders, a letter to the Prime Minister, and an update by 31 March. Our summary, review in progress
The exact wording of this change
Omit all words after paragraph (2)(d), substitute: “(3) calls on the ACT Government to consider the adoption of free public transport for concession card holders as a form of cost-of-living relief for those who are in the greatest need; (4) calls on all party leaders and independent Members to write to the Prime Minister to: (a) strongly urge him to temporarily reduce the level of federal petrol excise as a cost-of-living measure during the fuel-supply crisis; and (b) seek federal funding to enable the provision of: (i) free public transport for the duration of the fuel-supply crisis; (ii) 50-cent fares for the period beyond the crisis; and (iii) an uplift in investment in public and active transport infrastructure; and (5) calls on the ACT Government to provide a comprehensive update on the fuel supply situation and the impacts on the ACT to all members of the Legislative Assembly by Tuesday, 31 March 2026.”.
Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.
Grouped by key words as: added a new call or point.
The exact wording of this change
to Mr Steel’s amendment: In paragraph (3), insert: “(b) add sufficient bus services to meet the demand induced from reduced fares;”. Debate continued.
Agreed on the voices. No individual votes were recorded. Its wording is in the final text.
Proposed bus lanes, pop-up cycle lanes, seeking federal funding, and a report. Our summary, review in progress
The exact wording of this change
to the motion, as amended: “(6) calls on the ACT Government to encourage increased public and active transport uptake, at least for the duration of the fuel supply crisis, including by: (a) trialling dedicated bus lanes on as many Rapid bus routes as possible; (b) implementing pop-up separated cycle lanes on as many key traffic corridors as possible, such as Northbourne Avenue; (c) seeking federal funding for these measures; and (d) reporting back to the Assembly on the implementation of these measures in the next sitting week.”. Debate continued.
Not agreed in a recorded vote, 6 to 16.
Ayes 6
- Andrew Braddock, Jo Clay, Laura Nuttall, Shane Rattenbury
- Fiona Carrick, Thomas Emerson
Noes 16
- Andrew Barr, Marisa Paterson, Michael Pettersson, Chris Steel, Tara Cheyne, Rachel Stephen-Smith, Caitlin Tough, Taimus Werner-Gibbings, Suzanne Orr
- Mark Parton, Chiaka Barry, Peter Cain, Leanne Castley, Ed Cocks, Jeremy Hanson, James Milligan
- What the Assembly decidedAgreed
Decided on the voices: no individual votes were recorded, so this doesn’t show that every MLA agreed.
Final agreed wording, with changes marked
That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the rising cost and growing supply issues surrounding petrol and diesel as a consequence of the war in the Middle East; (b) that diesel is selling for over $3 a litre in the ACT and Unleaded 91 is retailing for above $2.40; (c) that according to data from the Australian Institute of Petroleum, Australia has seen the sharpest rise in fuel prices in the developed world since the start of the Iran War; (d) that the federal fuel excise is sitting at 52.6 cents a litre and makes up around 20 percent of the cost of a tank of petrol; and (e) ACT Labor has long claimed that their working relationship with the Albanese Government is much more collaborative than was the case with the previous government; (2) further notes that: (a) Canberrans are experiencing an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis; (b) since the start of March, the average price of petrol and diesel across the Territory has risen by 28 percent and 44 percent respectively, meaning Canberra motorists have paid an additional $10-$15 million to refuel; (c) in 2024, the Queensland Government introduced 50-cent fares across the entirety of the state’s public transport network as a tangible cost-of-living measure; and (d) increasing public transport ridership will assist in reducing congestion on Canberra roads; (3) calls on the ACT Government to: (a) consider the adoption of free public transport for concession card holders as a form of cost-of-living relief for those who are in the greatest need; and (b) add sufficient bus services to meet the demand induced from reduced faresCarrick; (4) calls on all party leaders and independent Members to write to the Prime Minister to: (a) strongly urge him to temporarily reduce the level of federal petrol excise as a cost-of-living measure during the fuel supply crisis; and (b) seek federal funding to enable the provision of: (i) free public transport for the duration of the fuel supply crisis; (ii) 50-cent fares for the period beyond the crisis; and (iii) an uplift in investment in public and active transport infrastructure; and (5) calls on the ACT Government to provide a comprehensive update on the fuel supply situation and the impacts on the ACT to all members of the Legislative Assembly by Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
Original and final wording compared
That this Assembly: (1) notes: (a) the rising cost and growing supply issues surrounding petrol and diesel as a consequence of the war in the Middle East; (b) that diesel is selling for over $3 a litre in the ACT and Unleaded 91 is retailing for above $2.40; (c) that according to data from the Australian Institute of Petroleum, Australia has seen the sharpest rise in fuel prices in the developed world since the start of the Iran War; (d) that the federal fuel excise is sitting at 52.6 cents a litre and makes up around 20 percent of the cost of a tank of petrol; and (e) ACT Labor has long claimed that their working relationship with the Albanese Government is much more collaborative than was the case with the previous government; (2) further notes that: (a) Canberrans are experiencing an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis; (b) since the start of March, the average price of petrol and diesel across the Territory has risen by 28 percent and 44 percent respectively, meaning Canberra motorists have paid an additional $10-$15 million to refuel; (c) in 2024, the Queensland Government introduced 50-cent fares across the entirety of the state’s public transport network as a tangible cost-of-living measure; and (d) increasing public transport ridership will assist in reducing congestion on Canberra roads; (3) calls on [put in: the ACT Government to: (a) consider the adoption of free public transport for concession card holders as a form of cost-of-living relief for those who are in the greatest need; and (b) add sufficient bus services to meet the demand induced from reduced fares; (4) calls on]all party leaders and independent Members to write to the Prime Minister
[taken out: and][put in: to: (a)]strongly urge him to temporarily reduce the level of federal petrol excise as a cost-of-living measure during the[taken out: Middle East][put in: fuel supply]crisis; and[taken out: (4) calls on the Government][put in: (b) seek federal funding]to[taken out: (a) by 6 April 2026, or as soon as practicable, implement a trial of 50-cent fares across][put in: enable]the[taken out: Transport Canberra network until 30 June 2026 to incentivise][put in: provision of: (i) free]public transport[taken out: use to ease congestion; and (b) report back to the Assembly with monthly usage data]for the[taken out: period][put in: duration]of the[taken out: trial. Paper: Mr Parton, by leave, presented the following paper:]fuel[taken out: excise—Call][put in: supply crisis; (ii) 50-cent fares]for[taken out: immediate action—Copy of letter][put in: the period beyond the crisis; and (iii) an uplift in investment in public and active transport infrastructure; and (5) calls on the ACT Government]to [put in: provide a comprehensive update on]the[taken out: Prime Minister of Australia from][put in: fuel supply situation and]the [put in: impacts on the]ACT[taken out: Leader][put in: to all members]of the[taken out: Opposition, dated 24][put in: Legislative Assembly by Tuesday, 31]March 2026.Compared word by word by computer, ignoring punctuation. It shows what differs, not which change made each difference; the steps above show that.
Check the official record
- Minutes of Proceedings No 53, 24 March 2026, item 15
Find these on the Assembly’s chamber documents page. Wording is quoted from the Minutes, © ACT Legislative Assembly, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Our reading is automatic and may contain errors; agreeing to a motion is not the same as doing what it asks. Report a problem