HVIA Laments Budget’s Lack of Targeted HV Measures

HVIA has called on the Australian Government to do more to support Australia’s heavy vehicle manufacturing industry following last night’s release of the 2025-26 Federal Budget.

In late February, HVIA distributed a detailed list of Federal Election Priorities to all 227 Federal MPs and Senators, calling for government assistance to support the heavy vehicle industry to address specific pressing issues such as international competitiveness, the transition to net zero emissions, growing the future workforce, enhancing road freight productivity and optimising Australia’s road infrastructure.

Treasurer Jim Chalmer’s fourth budget, released last night, includes a raft of high-level initiatives across energy, manufacturing, small business and road infrastructure. While welcome, they do not provide direct support to industry in the areas that HVIA and its members have specifically called for.

“The lack of targeted measures that directly address the issues faced by our sector is disappointing and indicates that both we and the Federal Government have a lot more work to do,” says Todd Hacking, HVIA’s Chief Executive Officer (pictured above).

“As such, we will continue to advocate for the needs of our industry at all levels in the lead-up to the Federal Election, calling for direct support as per the many practical and implementable actions listed in our Election Priorities,” he adds.

Adam Ritzinger, HVIA’s Chief Technical Officer, says that while many of last night’s Budget announcements will assist industries adjacent to heavy vehicle manufacturing, he also laments the lack of direct actions.

“The announcements best-aligned with HVIA’s priority areas were increases to the ‘Future Made in Australia’ package, including green metals, clean technology manufacturing and low-carbon liquid fuels, as well as the separate tax incentives for hydrogen production, the expansion of funding for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and improvements in road infrastructure,” he says.

“What we desperately need though, and what HVIA has called for, is direct support for truck and trailer manufacturers, support for the private sector to deploy battery electric charging and hydrogen refuelling stations nationwide, incentives to offset the higher cost of purchasing low-emissions trucks and the expansion of high-productivity vehicle networks.

“Without that direct support, our industry will continue to face headwinds in its efforts to decarbonise, improve efficiency and provide the equipment necessary to keep the lifeblood of Australia’s economy and society pumping.”

The table below provides a summary of the Federal Budget 2025-26 initiatives that are aligned to some of the HVIA priority areas.

HVIA will report on these areas in further detail as the Government releases more information on their implementation, including specific opportunities for members.