Victoria, Tasmania Offer Free Public Transport
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- Victoria announced that all trains, trams and buses will be free for riders starting Tuesday in April to ease pressure on petrol pumps.
- Tasmania will make its coaches, buses, ferries and paid school bus services free for commuters through the end of June.
- Australian federal government will halve the fuel excise tax by 26.3 cents per litre for three months, saving drivers about A$10–20 per tank and costing taxpayers A$2.55 billion.
- Fuel prices in Australia rose to A$2.38 per litre, up from A$2.09 a month earlier, as the war and the near‑total blockade of the Strait of Hormuz pushed oil markets higher.
- Other Australian states such as New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia have declined to offer free public transport, citing high daily costs or alternative fare reductions.
- Strait of Hormuz closure has contributed to sharp international oil price spikes, prompting fuel‑saving measures worldwide.
Why it matters: Commuters in Victoria and Tasmania gain free travel, reducing their fuel expenses, while taxpayers shoulder a A$2.55 billion cost for the fuel tax cut; meanwhile, other states miss out on immediate relief, and the broader economy faces higher transport costs from the Strait of Hormuz disruption.
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