HouseDivision 1 · 31 Mar 2026

Treasury Laws Amendment (Fuel Excise Relief) Bill 2026 - Second Reading - Criticism of Government

Not passed35 aye · 96 no

What this vote was about

The majority voted against an amendment to the usual second reading motion, which is "That the bill be read a second time" (parliamentary jargon for agreeing with the main idea of the bill). The amendment was introduced by Goldstein MP Tim Wilson (Liberal). Because this vote was unsuccessful, the usual second reading motion will remain unchanged.

Amendment text

That all words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:

“the House notes that:

(1) the reduction in fuel excise and corresponding reduction in the heavy vehicle road user charge reflects a policy first proposed by the Opposition;

(2) the Government initially denied there was a fuel supply problem in Australia and by delaying taking action to ensure distribution of fuel to where it was needed, exacerbated price pressures and supply shortages;

(3) the Government delayed acting on cost-of-living relief despite mounting pressure on Australian households, small businesses and transporters;

(4) the Government has failed to provide any budget offsets or outline how this measure will be funded, increasing the risk of additional inflationary pressure—where the only fuel guaranteed is for inflation, not for farmers or families;

(5) within 24 hours of the announcement, the Government’s proposed GST arrangements have already fallen into disarray, raising further concerns about fiscal credibility and coordination;

(6) uncertainty remains regarding fuel supply security and the risk of heavy-handed market interventions; and

(7) Australians deserve timely leadership and responsible economic management during this fuel crisis”.

Context written by They Vote For You volunteers (ODbL), reproduced unchanged.

Second reading: The second reading vote decides whether the chamber agrees with the bill in principle. A second reading amendment attaches commentary or conditions to that agreement without changing the bill's text.

By party

Party	Aye	No
Australian Labor Party	0	87
Liberal–National Coalition	35	1
Independent	0	7
Australian Greens	0	1

Every vote

AYE (35)

NO (96)

Other divisions this sitting day

What the House divided on around this vote, in order.

31 Mar 2026Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 - Consideration of Senate Message - Agree with Senate amendmentsHouse 98–36