Australia news live: Chalmers asks regulator to watch service stations ‘like a hawk’ as fuel excise cut ends

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers has directed the consumer watchdog to monitor service stations closely as a temporary fuel excise cut officially expired at midnight on Monday. The tax relief measure had been implemented following the outbreak of the conflict in Iran.

Addressing public concerns over rising costs, Chalmers maintained that the fuel excise reduction was never intended to be a permanent policy. He acknowledged that fuel prices have increased over the course of the past month as the expiration date approached.