![\"Luca](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775104148_243_Luca_Ittimani.png\")
Luca Ittimani<\/p>\nPetrol prices have fallen 20c a litre in capital cities since the fuel excise cutLuca Ittimani<\/p>\n
Petrol prices have now fallen about 20 cents in every capital city over the last two days, after the government cut the fuel excise by 26.3c on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Every capital\u2019s average prices are back below 240c a litre for unleaded and 310c for diesel, new data from NRMA shows.<\/p>\n
Perth is feeling the excise cut\u2019s effect today, after unleaded fell only 7c a litre yesterday but dropped another 14c today on average, to average 230.9c a litre.<\/p>\n
Some cities saw most of the reductions in price yesterday, like Adelaide, where average unleaded prices fell 24c yesterday then 4c today, now sitting at 230.4c, 28.8c cheaper than they were before the excise reduction. Darwin has also seen unleaded prices fall by about 28.8c per litre.<\/p>\n
Unleaded prices are averaging 236.6c per litre in Sydney, 237.7c in Melbourne, 236.4c in Brisbane, 232c in Hobart and 234.5c in Canberra.<\/p>\n
Diesel prices fell about 10c a litre yesterday and about another 5c a litre today, varying by city.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a000.07 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Show key events only<\/p>\n Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n \u2018Partial bans do not work,\u2019 AMA says of Labor\u2019s new gambling ad crackdown<\/p>\n Australia\u2019s peak medical body has criticised the government\u2019s new gambling advertising reforms, stating \u201cpartial bans do not work\u201d.<\/p>\n The government\u2019s package includes caps on advertising volume, extended blackout periods around sporting matches, opt-out tools for social media and streaming platforms, a phased ban on stadium and jersey advertising, and restrictions on ads around school pick-up times.<\/p>\n The Australian Medical Association says it is concerned the reforms do not include a national independent gambling regulator or a pathway to a total ban on online gambling advertising, as recommended by the Murphy review.<\/p>\n Vice president Assoc Prof Julian Rait said the measures announced today acknowledge the scale of the problem but don\u2019t go far enough, with more comprehensive protections needed.<\/p>\n double quotation markAustralians lose more to gambling than any other country in the world. Gambling addiction is a serious health issue linked to mental illness, substance abuse, family breakdown and severe financial distress.<\/p>\n \u2026 Partial bans do not work. We have seen this repeatedly across public health. Anything less than a comprehensive ban will continue to expose Australians \u2013 especially children \u2013 to relentless gambling promotion.<\/p>\n \u2026 A full ban on online gambling advertising is the only effective way to reduce harm. The government must strengthen these reforms and implement a comprehensive ban without delay.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.42 EDT<\/p>\n Liberal federal director to step down<\/p>\n Andrew Hirst, the federal director of the Liberal party<\/a>, has announced plans to step down in June.<\/p>\n Hirst said on Thursday he had told the party president, John Olsen, of his intention to quit at the next federal council meeting, and after the Farrer byelection on 9 May.<\/p>\n Since taking the top job nine years ago, Hirst has served under leaders Malcolm Turnbull, Scott Morrison, Peter Dutton, Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor.<\/p>\n Credited with leading Morrison\u2019s come-from-behind election win in 2019, Hirst said it was the right time to hand over to new organisational leadership and allow planning ahead of the next federal election.<\/p>\n In a statement, he thanked party officials and said he wanted to pay particular tribute to Morrison, saying: \u201cHistory will judge Scott well.\u201d<\/p>\n double quotation markOur party faces significant challenges that must be confronted with renewed energy and determination.<\/p>\n I have great confidence in the leadership of Angus Taylor and Jane Hume as the custodians of our party, and I wish them and the parliamentary team well for the future.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.37 EDT<\/p>\n Queensland under pressure on cost-of-living relief<\/p>\n Queensland\u2019s decision to sign on to the national GST fuel deal will leave the state under increased pressure to find a way to fund further cost of living relief.<\/p>\n On Thursday, the Labor opposition said the state would likely bank another windfall – via royalties in high coal and gas export prices. The opposition leader, Steven Miles, says this should be passed directly back to taxpayers.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe are calling on the Crisafulli government, we are demanding they put those funds to much-needed cost of living relief for Queenslanders.<\/p>\n This government shouldn\u2019t profit from those increased royalties.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.18 EDT<\/p>\n Queensland \u2018played our part\u2019 in GST deal to lower fuel prices, state treasurer says The Queensland treasurer, David Janetzki, says the state has \u201cplayed our part\u201d in striking a federal GST deal to further lower fuel prices.<\/p>\n Queensland had been the holdout state, having previously said it wanted to use additional GST windfall from higher fuel prices on direct cost-of-living relief for locals.<\/p>\n It signed on to the national fuel deal on Thursday. Janetzki said:<\/p>\n double quotation markFrom the beginning it has been Queensland\u2019s position to forgo windfalls from higher fuel prices and how this can be calculated, collected and distributed has been facilitated following today\u2019s meeting.<\/p>\n Work will continue through the budget process to keep delivering targeted cost-of-living measures Queenslanders can rely on.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.24 EDT<\/p>\n ASX falls sharply in response to Trump address The Australian share market has turned sharply lower in response to Donald Trump\u2019s address to the nation after the US president failed to articulate a clean exit strategy from the Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n Australia\u2019s benchmark S&P\/ASX 200 started the day positively but started to lose those early gains during Trump\u2019s address.<\/p>\n In early afternoon trading, the Australian index was down 0.8% to hover near the 8,600 point mark, representing a sharp reversal.<\/p>\n The ASX has been pulled around by sharp moves in the oil price, with rising energy prices fuelling global inflation, which drags down equity markets.<\/p>\n Oil prices jumped back above US$100 a barrel this afternoon in response to Trump\u2019s address to the nation, the first delivered by the president since the start of the Iran war.<\/p>\n While Trump said the conflict was \u201cnearing completion\u201d and set a timeline of \u201ctwo to three weeks\u201d, investors are concerned that oil supplies could remain disrupted.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.58 EDT<\/p>\n Chris Minns welcomes states\u2019 agreement to return extra GST on fuel<\/p>\n With that press club address over, we\u2019re now hearing from the states and territories welcoming the news on lower fuel prices.<\/p>\n NSW premier Chris Minns says:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe welcome the agreement to return the extra GST collected on higher fuel prices back to motorists.<\/p>\n It\u2019s some relief to drivers and helps take the edge off higher fuel costs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.48 EDT<\/p>\n \u2018I will take every opportunity to talk to the Australian people,\u2019 Albanese says<\/p>\n Albanese is being asked about a comment which appeared underneath the video of his national address last night, voicing a view that in trying to deliver a message to calm people down, in the eight-hour window leading up to the address it inadvertently caused greater anxiety.<\/p>\n double quotation markThe truth is that the demand spike in fuel had occurred, was continuing to occur.<\/p>\n There hasn\u2019t been a single ship that was due to arrive in Australia in March that had not arrived.<\/p>\n \u2026 I will take every opportunity to talk to the Australian people directly, because that is showing them respect.<\/p>\n Anthony Albanese wears South Sydney Rabbitohs socks at the National Press Club in Canberra, 2 April 2026. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a023.00 EDT<\/p>\n \u2018Australia wasn\u2019t consulted\u2019 before war in Iran, Albanese says<\/p>\n Trump was thoughtful enough to time his speech just before the Australian leader\u2019s, but Albanese says he hasn\u2019t yet heard his US counterpart\u2019s message.<\/p>\n Asked about the timeframe Trump laid out, Albanese said:<\/p>\n double quotation markTo be clear, as I said, Australia wasn\u2019t consulted before this began. The United States, as a sovereign state and they are the world\u2019s largest economy, and President Trump I think will continue to make announcements.<\/p>\n What I have said very clearly though is that I do want to see a de-escalation and I want there to be a recognition as well, greater clarity, about how this ends, and I haven\u2019t seen, to be fair, the timing of President Trump\u2019s speech so I am reluctant to talk about the content, but I have been pretty consistent about this as well, that we need to account for what the endpoint is here and what the objectives are, and that the objectives that were originally put forward by President Trump I think have largely been realised.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.26 EDT<\/p>\n Albanese is asked about the Murphy report recommendations<\/p>\n Now moving on to questions, Albanese is facing pressure on the announced gambling reforms, being questioned why recommendations in the Murphy report remain unaddressed, including many around harm minimisation.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019ll be tabling a response to the Murphy report on the first day that parliament comes back, when it returns.<\/p>\n Cabinet adopted these positions today.<\/p>\n This is the position that we will take forward in legislation, when parliament resumes.<\/p>\n And the government decides positions, not committees.<\/p>\n Government can be informed by committees, but the government determines positions.<\/p>\n And one of the things that sporting codes need, dare I say it, here at the National Press Club, TV channels that have broadcasting deals, all of that, is tied up with certainty going forward.<\/p>\n And what we\u2019ll do is present a final position that we have, it\u2019s informed as well by the key elements going forward, some of it is about the Murphy report, but the Murphy report isn\u2019t [where] it started and ended.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.16 EDT<\/p>\n \u2018We know the mindset that left Australia exposed to this global shock,\u2019 Albanese says<\/p>\n Albanese had earlier in his speech also criticised the Coalition\u2019s approach to economic policy putting \u201cour nation in this position of vulnerability\u201d in comparison to his government\u2019s \u201cfuture made in Australia\u201d approach:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe all know the mindset that left Australia exposed to this global shock. That said it was OK to cut Tafe and training. To dare manufacturing and industry to go offshore. To put multinational firms ahead of Australian gas users. To close our refineries, store our fuel reserves in Texas, and run the national energy grid [to the] ground, and that Australia could get away with this because there would always be someone else who would sell us what we needed cheaper than we could make it ourselves.<\/p>\n This approach put our nation in this position of vulnerability. It certainly will not take us out of that. That\u2019s why our government is taking a different path, investing in a future made in Australia, creating the reconstruction fund to back manufacturing.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.10 EDT<\/p>\n \u2018We are getting the balance right,\u2019 Albanese says<\/p>\n Albanese speaks of the need to make sure children don\u2019t believe gambling and sport are \u201cinextricably linked\u201d:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe are getting the balance right, letting adults have a punt if they want to but making sure that our children don\u2019t see betting as everywhere they look because we don\u2019t want kids growing up thinking that gambling are inextricably linked, we want Australians to love sport for what it is.<\/p>\n![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775104148_630_Tom_McIlroy.png\")
Tom McIlroy<\/p>\n![\"Ben](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ben_Smee_v2.png\")
Ben Smee<\/p>\nBen Smee<\/p>\n![\"Jonathan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Jonathan_Barrett.png\")
Jonathan Barrett<\/p>\n