Significantly higher spending on major roads in recent years will result in a 3.2% increase in truck and bus registration charges.

Trucks and buses pay their fair share of road and bridge upgrades, which deliver better productivity and safety, through a fuel-based charge and state-based registration fees.

An annual adjustment considers changes in road expenditure and vehicle use to ensure trucks and buses do not pay too much, or too little, for using the road network. This fulfils a Council of Australian Government (COAG) directive to ensure ongoing cost recovery1.

The revised registration charges are scheduled to apply from July 1, 2009.
NTC has been asked by the federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese MP to commence a separate consultation process on the fuel-based road user charge.

A full explanation of the 2009 annual adjustment calculation, including the proposed new rate and information relied on to determine that rate has been published to support fair and transparent consultation. It is proposed that the new rate charge of 21.7 cents per litre will apply from 1 July 2009.