Escalating conflict in the Middle East is driving major volatility in global oil markets — and Australian road freight operators are already feeling the consequences.
Diesel is not optional for our industry. It is the fuel that keeps supermarket shelves stocked, construction projects supplied, pharmacies replenished and the economy moving. When diesel prices rise sharply, trucking operators wear the hit first. In many cases, they cannot pass those costs on quickly enough. Margins are squeezed, cashflow is put under pressure, and eventually those higher freight costs flow through to households and businesses across the country.
This is exactly why Road Freight NSW has been speaking out publicly and directly over the past week.
Road Freight NSW calls for urgent focus on fuel security
Road Freight NSW has called on the Albanese Government to ensure Australia maintains adequate and reliable fuel supply for freight operators during this period of international instability.
We have also made the point clearly that this is not just about the bowser price. Diesel and critical consumables such as AdBlue are essential to keeping modern freight fleets running. If supply tightens, if prices spike further, or if access becomes inconsistent, the consequences will be felt well beyond the transport sector. We note particularly as a result of our campaign some years ago regarding AdBlue that the Albanese government acted when they came to government and created a critical stockpile/reserve for Australian domestic use. A great example of industry and government working together and achieving results.
Put simply: if trucks stop, the economy feels it very quickly.
Taking the message to the media
Road Freight NSW CEO Simon O’Hara has been using national and metropolitan media this week to make sure governments and the public understand what is at stake.
On ABC 7.30, Simon said diesel prices had already risen significantly and warned that if the pressure continues, Australians are likely to see the impact more clearly from April. Trucking businesses cannot simply keep absorbing these increases indefinitely.
Watch: ABC 7.30 segment at 16.46 minute mark or here on ABC iview for 7.30 Report Monday 9/3/26
Simon also reinforced this message on ABC Radio Sydney Drive, (listen from the 8:00 minute mark) making it clear that higher diesel prices are not just a transport issue — they are a supply chain issue and a cost-of-living issue.
And on 7NEWS last Tuesday night, Simon again warned that rising diesel costs will not stay confined to operators. Those costs move through the freight task and ultimately hit consumers in the form of higher prices for groceries and other everyday essentials.
Watch: 7NEWS Tuesday night report
This is the reality for freight businesses. They are expected to keep the country moving no matter what.
What Road Freight NSW wants to see from government
1. Protect essential freight movements
Government must ensure there is clear contingency planning to keep diesel available for essential freight if global conditions worsen.
2. Treat fuel security as national economic security
Australia cannot afford to be complacent. Fuel resilience is not an abstract policy issue — it goes directly to supply chain continuity, freight efficiency and the cost of living.
3. Keep diesel and AdBlue front-of-mind
Both are critical to keeping freight fleets on the road. Planning that ignores either is incomplete. The stockpile of technical grade urea by the Albanese government was a welcome initiative of this government arising out of the freight communities advocacy 4 years ago.
4. Maintain strict oversight of pricing and supply behaviour
Periods of volatility demand transparency, close market monitoring and a willingness to act if pricing behaviour becomes disconnected from genuine wholesale conditions.
What government has done as a result of industry advocacy is:
Quickly convened national meetings on the fuel crisis to address the shortage
ACCC has publicly indicated they are laser focused on pricing at the pump with the following summary:
Key 2026 ACCC Fuel Pricing Actions & Statements
Increased Scrutiny & Emergency Meetings: Following “steep and rapid” price increases in March 2026, the ACCC is conducting urgent talks with fuel retailers to demand explanations for sudden spikes.
Weekly Updates: To improve transparency during this volatile period, the ACCC is providing weekly fuel price updates.
Warning on Misleading Claims: The ACCC has warned retailers that providing false or misleading reasons for price increases to consumers is a breach of Australian Consumer Law.
Market Behavior Monitoring: While international refined petrol prices are the main driver of local costs, the ACCC is watching for anti-competitive behaviour or price gouging.
Regional Focus: The ACCC continues to monitor retail prices in over 190 regional locations, noting that, as of late 2024, regional prices were higher on average than in the five largest capital cities.
What members should do now
Members should review fuel surcharge clauses, update mechanisms and recovery timeframes now — not after the next jump hits.
Operators should also continue tightening fuel controls wherever possible, including reducing idle time, improving route efficiency, consolidating loads and cutting unnecessary empty running.
Just as importantly, if your business is seeing unusual allocation limits, supply disruptions, diesel or AdBlue access issues, or sharp wholesale price changes, please tell us immediately.
The stronger the evidence base, the stronger our advocacy.
Road Freight NSW will continue pushing this issue directly with government and in the media, because freight operators should not be left carrying the burden of global instability on their own.
Watch Ten News at 5 interview 5 March 2026
