Uber Implements Fuel Surcharge Amid Rising Petrol Prices
Uber will introduce a fuel surcharge of 5 cents per kilometre on all trips from 15 April to 8 June in response to increasing petrol prices. This surcharge follows a fare increase implemented in March, which varied by trip location and length. Uber stated that all revenue generated from this surcharge will be directed to drivers to offset their fuel expenses. Competitor DiDi implemented a similar surcharge on 18 March.
The announcement was made in conjunction with the Transport Workers Union (TWU), which is currently negotiating improved working conditions for ride-share drivers. TWU national secretary Michael Kaine commented:
"Ride-share drivers have been struggling under skyrocketing fuel costs, and Uber’s actions acknowledge this with meaningful cost relief. With a TWU application under way in the Fair Work Commission to lift standards across the ride-share industry, we will continue working with Uber and other platforms towards getting fair pay and conditions in place for ride-share workers as soon as possible."
Prime Minister Defends $20 Million Fuel-Saving Campaign
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended a $20 million taxpayer-funded advertising campaign launched on Monday that encourages drivers to reduce fuel consumption. The campaign aims to provide practical advice amid global oil supply volatility caused by tensions in the Middle East.
Albanese addressed criticism of the campaign on Seven’s Sunrise program, stating:
"We need to give people that information. We want to keep the economy moving … we want people to go about in a sensible way and that’s why a public information campaign is very important at this point in time."
The campaign offers tips such as maintaining tyre pressure, travelling light, using air conditioning and heating sparingly, avoiding overfilling fuel tanks, and monitoring speed and acceleration to improve fuel efficiency.
PM Albanese Calls for Freedom of Navigation in Strait of Hormuz
Amid stalled negotiations between the US and Iran, Prime Minister Albanese expressed Australia's position regarding the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking to Channel Nine’s Today program, he said:
"Well we want to see is negotiations continue and resume. We want an end to this conflict. We want to see the strait of Hormuz opened for all. We want to see freedom of navigation as required by international law as well."
He also remarked on the unpredictability of US policy, noting uncertainty about any influence over former President Donald Trump’s approach to the conflict.
Woman Drowns at Ellery Creek Big Hole
A 25-year-old woman drowned at Ellery Creek Big Hole, a popular swimming location west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, on Sunday afternoon. Emergency services were called after reports that CPR was being administered at the site. Paramedics arrived but were unable to revive her, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police urged visitors to exercise caution around waterways and adhere to safety guidelines when visiting remote areas. According to Royal Life Saving, there were 81 drowning deaths in Australia during the 2025/26 summer season.
Federal Government Funds Helpline for Paedophiles
The federal government has provided funding for the child abuse prevention service Stop It Now!, operated by Jesuit Social Services, to expand a trial scheme initiated in 2022. The service includes a free, anonymous phone helpline, website, and online self-help resources aimed at preventing child sexual abuse by offering therapy to potential and former offenders.
Stop It Now! general manager Georgia Naldrett stated:
"Child sexual abuse is one of the most significant issues facing Australia, with one in three girls and one in five boys having been the victims of child sexual abuse. The prevalence of online offending has only intensified this issue and the need for evidence-based approaches to prevention. We know that it’s really important to work with people offending or at risk of offending, so we can intervene earlier, and ultimately keep children safe. Our experience delivering the pilot program since 2022, supported by independent evaluation, shows that this approach helps callers take meaningful action to reduce harm and keep children safe."
The government will also fund pop-up advertisements on pornography websites to warn users attempting to access illegal content, directing them to Stop It Now!. This initiative aligns with recommendations from the 2017 royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse, which advocated for a national scheme to assist non-offending partners of paedophiles, similar to the Australian charity PartnerSpeak.
Recent senate inquiries and reports by the Australian National Audit Office have criticized the Attorney-General’s Department’s tender process related to these services.
Australia Not Asked to Join Strait of Hormuz Blockade
Prime Minister Albanese confirmed that Australia has not been requested to participate in any blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. He said on Channel 9’s Today:
"We haven’t been asked to participate. We’ve received no requests. We haven’t been asked … and I don’t expect that we will be. What we want is for negotiations to resume. We want to see an end to the loss of life and the loss of infrastructure, civil in the Middle East. And we want to see trade resume. This is having a massive global economic impact, not just on Australia. Every single country is being impacted."
Australian Government’s Fuel-Saving Tips and Public Reaction
The government’s campaign encourages motorists to adopt simple fuel-saving measures such as maintaining tyre pressure, reducing vehicle weight, limiting air conditioning and heating use, avoiding overfilling fuel tanks, and monitoring driving habits to reduce fuel consumption.
The campaign has received mixed reactions. One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce criticized the ads as "ridiculous," and Liberal senator James Paterson stated that Australians do not want to be "lectured." Environment Minister Murray Watt defended the campaign on RN Breakfast, saying:
"Even the tagline of this campaign, Every Little Bit Helps, is a reminder to Australians that we all can take actions ourselves to contribute to solving this national situation that we’re in at the moment. Those basic things like taking unnecessary things out of your car to reduce the weight of your car, removing roof racks if you don’t need them. They’re only little things, but they can actually make a difference. So I think it is important that the government plays a role in ensuring that Australians have accurate information and, as I say, gives people some ideas about what they can be doing to help as well."
Australia-US Rare Earths and Critical Minerals Projects Announced
The Australian and US governments have announced funding for a series of rare earths and critical minerals projects under a $5 billion agreement aimed at reducing dependence on China for materials essential to renewable energy, defense, and advanced manufacturing.
Projects will focus on mining and extraction of nickel, cobalt, gallium, magnesium, vanadium, and graphite. Trade Minister Don Farrell stated:
"Australia has abundant deposits of critical minerals and rare earths, well-established resources and energy supply chains, and the expertise to extract and process those minerals. The Albanese Labor Government stands ready to seize this valuable economic opportunity and to build investment and export opportunities for the critical minerals sector."
Funded projects include:
- Alcoa Gallium Recovery Project (WA)
- Arafura’s Nolans Rare Earths Project (NT)
- Astron’s Donald Rare Earths Project (Vic)
- Graphinex’s Esmerelda Graphite Mine (Qld)
- RZ Resources Copi Rare Earths Project (NSW)
- Northern Minerals Heavy Rare Earths Project (WA)
- VHM Goshen Rare Earths Project (Vic)
- EQ Resources Mt Carbine Tungsten Project (Qld)
Export Finance Australia (EFA) and the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) will provide coordinated funding, including letters of support totaling approximately $849 million for Tronox Holdings’ rare earths refinery project and up to $500 million each for Ardea Resources’ Kalgoorlie nickel project, both in Western Australia.
Prime Minister Albanese to Visit Brunei and Malaysia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong will visit Brunei and Malaysia this week to strengthen Australia’s supply of diesel, fertiliser, and other critical goods amid shortages caused by the US-Israel conflict with Iran.
Albanese will meet Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, on Tuesday to discuss energy, food security, and essential goods flow. Brunei supplies 9% of Australia’s diesel imports and 11% of fertiliser-grade urea imports, while Australia exports food and agricultural products to Brunei.
In Malaysia, Albanese will meet Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Malaysia is Australia’s third-largest source of refined fuel and supplies 10% of fertiliser-grade urea imports, while Australia provides 95% of Malaysia’s imported natural gas. Penny Wong will travel separately to Singapore for diplomatic meetings.
Albanese emphasized the importance of these visits, stating:
"Engaging with critical regional partners such as Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia will help ensure Australia’s energy supply remains secure during times of uncertainty. We are taking every step to reinforce relationships and engage with key partners to keep our fuel supply flowing. My Government is continuing to take every practical action to shield Australians from the impact of the war in the Middle East."
Foreign Minister Wong described energy security as a shared regional challenge:
"We know that global supply challenges will be with us for some time, which is why we are focused on supporting Australians through this difficult period."
Good Morning
Good morning, and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to bring you the day’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong will visit Brunei and Malaysia this week to bolster Australia’s fuel supplies. Brunei provides 9% of Australia’s diesel imports; Malaysia is the third-largest source of refined fuel.
- Australia and the US have announced a series of rare earths and critical minerals projects targeting nickel, cobalt, gallium, and other minerals.
- The federal government has funded a helpline for paedophiles for the first time, including a free, anonymous phone service, website, and online self-help resources.
