Australia's fuel excise cut has ended. Here is what that means at the pump.

Key points

• Australia's fuel excise cut, a temporary reduction in the government tax charged on petrol and diesel, ended at midnight on Monday.
• The cut was introduced in response to the outbreak of the Iran conflict, which pushed global oil prices higher.
• Treasurer Jim Chalmers has asked the fuel price regulator to monitor service stations closely for price gouging.
• The trial of former broadcaster Alan Jones on indecent assault and sexual touching charges began Monday in Sydney.

The cheaper petrol Australians have been paying at the bowser is now over. The fuel excise cut, which lowered the federal government tax built into every litre of fuel, expired at midnight on Monday after being introduced to cushion drivers from price spikes that followed the outbreak of the Iran conflict.

For ordinary drivers, the end of the cut means prices at the pump are likely to rise. How much depends on whether service stations pass the full cost on immediately or absorb some of it. That uncertainty is exactly what Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants regulators to watch.

What is the government doing about it?

Chalmers has asked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the national watchdog that monitors prices and business conduct, to keep a close eye on service stations. His words, reported by The Guardian, were direct: watch them "like a hawk."

The concern is straightforward. When taxes go back up, some fuel retailers may add a larger margin on top, using the excise increase as cover for a bigger price hike than the tax alone would justify. The ACCC has the power to name and shame retailers and, in serious cases, to investigate anti-competitive pricing.

Drivers who think their local station is charging well above the regional average can report it to the ACCC's fuel monitoring service.

What else is happening today?

The high-profile criminal trial of former broadcaster Alan Jones began Monday in Sydney. Jones faces charges of indecent assault and sexual touching.

That case has no connection to fuel prices or economic policy, but it is likely to dominate news coverage through the week alongside cost-of-living concerns at the bowser.

Common questions

How much more will petrol cost now?

The exact rise depends on the size of the excise cut that was in place and how individual retailers respond. Watch your local station's board in the coming days and compare it with the ACCC's weekly fuel price data for your city.

Can the government reimpose the cut if prices spike?

Yes. Excise rates are set by the government and can be adjusted, though doing so requires a deliberate policy decision and is not automatic. If global oil prices surge again, future relief is possible but not guaranteed.