Australia extends petrol price relief for motorists

SYDNEY

Australia will extend petrol price relief for motorists struggling with the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on June 21.

Reliant on imported fuel, Australia halved a petrol tax for motorists and cut a levy for trucks in March, as prices soared because of global disruption to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

Both temporary measures were due to expire at the end of this month, but will be extended for the month of July.

“We know people are still under pressure,” Albanese said in a statement.

“We’ll continue to do what we can to shield Australians from the worst impacts of this conflict including securing additional fuel from our partners,” he said.

The decision to extend the cost of living support comes as the center-left Labor government has been overtaken by the far-right One Nation party in opinion polls, an unprecedented shift in Australian voting sentiment.