To Help Residents Cope with Surge in Fuel Prices, Two Australian States Offer Free Public Transport

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, CANBERRA – Two Australian states, Victoria and Tasmania, will provide free public transport in their regions to encourage residents not to use private vehicles. The policy is linked to the surge in global oil prices due to the war taking place in the Middle East.

Victoria’s Premier, Jacinta Allan, announced on Saturday (28/3/2026) that trains, trams, and buses in her state will be free for all residents starting Tuesday (31/3/2026). The free public transport service will be in effect until the end of April 2026.

The policy is expected to help residents’ mobility amid the surge in global oil prices. “This won’t solve every problem, but it is an immediate step to help Victoria’s residents right now,” Allan said in her statement, quoted from the BBC website, Sunday (29/3/2026).

Meanwhile, Tasmania’s Premier, Jeremy Rockliff, stated that his government will make buses, trains, and ferries free for the coming months. “We know that rising fuel costs impact family budgets, and that’s why we are once again taking firm and decisive action to protect Tasmania’s residents,” Rockliff said.

Tasmania will also make paid school buses free. The policy will help residents using those bus services save 20 Australian dollars per week.

Meanwhile, other Australian states have not yet decided whether to adopt a similar policy to Victoria and Tasmania. The Australian government stated that the surge in global oil prices due to the conflict in the Middle East has impacted fuel prices in the country.

The surge in global oil prices is partly influenced by Iran’s strict restrictions on tanker traffic access in the Strait of Hormuz. Twenty percent of global oil supplies are known to pass through the strait daily.

The rise in oil prices has prompted several countries to implement fuel-saving measures.