News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs.
Below are snippets of all the media releases we received from March 30 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week

Fuel Excise Cut Amid Price Surge

Perth, March 30: The federal government will cut fuel excise by 26.3 cents per litre for three months, as petrol prices surge across Australia.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the temporary measure will halve the excise from 52.6 cents to 26.3 cents per litre, lowering the cost of petrol and diesel while encouraging public transport use.
Finder data shows rising pressure on households, with the share of Australians ranking fuel among their most stressful expenses jumping from 11 per cent in January to 19 per cent in March.
In New South Wales, average prices for E10 and Unleaded 91 reached 248.6 cents per litre, up from 223.5 cents just two weeks earlier, according to FuelCheck NSW.
Finder said higher prices could accelerate the shift to electric vehicles, which made up 30% of new car sales in February, up from 24% in April 2025.
The surge in fuel costs has been linked to global supply disruptions, with experts warning households may need to adjust spending and driving habits to cope.

TransTRACK Expands Maritime Push

Perth, March 30: TransTRACK used its appearance at Asia Pacific Maritime (APM) Singapore 2026 to highlight its push to support digital transformation in the maritime sector.
The company said its participation in the March 25 to 27 event in Singapore formed part of its broader expansion strategy, while also giving it an international platform to showcase its integrated maritime monitoring solutions.
TransTRACK said its technology is designed to help fleet operators improve efficiency, strengthen data transparency and support regulatory compliance, amid continued pressure from higher fuel costs.
At the event, the company showcased an integrated system combining real-time vessel monitoring, fuel distribution monitoring, and port surveillance through IoT, sensors, AIS and CCTV integration.
The company also received a visit from Hotmangaradja Pandjaitan of the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore, which it said reflected support for Indonesian innovation on the global stage.
TransTRACK added that its solutions are aimed at helping maritime operators improve planning, reduce inefficiencies, support maintenance scheduling and optimise energy use, while contributing to sustainability and emissions reduction efforts.

Surcharge Ban Looms

Perth, March 31: More than half of Australians have been annoyed by card surcharges, while 14 per cent have abandoned a purchase because the added fee was too high, according to Finder. The comparison site said 53 per cent of Australians, or 11.3 million people, have been frustrated by surcharges, with older consumers the most affected.
The findings come as the Reserve Bank of Australia confirmed it will ban surcharges on debit, prepaid and credit cards on the designated eftpos, Mastercard and Visa networks from October, a move expected to save consumers $1.6 billion a year. Finder also found 20 per cent of Australians have considered walking away from a purchase due to a high surcharge.
Finder head of consumer research Graham Cooke said: “There’s nothing more annoying than when you tap your card and see the surcharge appear after you’ve already paid. “Most of the time it’s just a few dollars or less, but when you add these up over the year it can be quite a sting. “The reality is, this move will provide clarity for consumers. You pay what it says on the ticket – no hidden surcharges for Visa and Mastercard. This is Australia finally catching up with the rest of the world. “Some in the banking world have said these changes will mean credit card companies will offer fewer benefits going forward – but the UK do not allow surcharges and have similar benefits. “In the end, the credit and debit card markets will settle to a new normal, and this will provide more clarity for consumers.”
Cooke urged consumers to check for surcharges before paying and choose their payment method carefully. He added: “Even after October, Amex users may still see surcharges from merchants, as they are technically exempt from these changes for now.”

AI Sessions Surge

Perth, April 1: TeamViewer said customers have now completed more than one million AI-powered remote support sessions, with more than 300,000 added in March alone.
The company said the milestone highlights growing adoption of its AI capabilities and strengthens its position in AI-driven IT operations and Autonomous Endpoint Management (AEM).
TeamViewer said its platform is designed to learn from completed support sessions by combining expert knowledge, endpoint telemetry and real-time automation. It said this creates a self-reinforcing system that improves issue detection, speeds up resolutions and helps automate more IT tasks over time.
The company said growing endpoint complexity across computers, mobile devices, machines and robots is driving demand for more autonomous IT operations, allowing teams to spend less time on reactive support and more time on strategic work.
“By mapping every IT issue and its resolution, we are building a definitive knowledge graph for autonomous IT management,” said Mei Dent, Chief Product and Technology Officer at TeamViewer. “Reaching one million AI sessions demonstrates both strong customer adoption and the structural advantage from our proprietary data. TeamViewer’s scale is built on two decades of deep IT ecosystem integration across more than 600,000 customers and one of the largest endpoint footprints globally. This milestone establishes our leadership position in the AEM category, which expands our addressable market meaningfully.”
TeamViewer also pointed to its recent research showing digital friction is hurting business performance, with 80% of staff across nine countries saying they lose time each month because of IT problems, averaging 1.3 lost workdays per employee. It added that 42% of organisations report direct revenue impacts from such disruptions.

Op-Shop Thrill

Perth, April 1: Nearly seven in 10 Australians say op-shopping is more exciting than buying new, according to new research commissioned by Salvos Stores.
The national study of 1,000 Australians, conducted by Glow Research, found 73% see op-shopping as a treasure hunt, while 74% said finding something great at an op-shop feels like a personal win. Cost savings also remain a key draw, with 60% saying they value the savings on offer.
The research found 70% of Australians have discovered an amazing purchase at an op-shop, while 68% said they had found an item that delivered exceptional value. It also found 58% regretted leaving behind an op-shop find, with shoppers twice as likely to regret missing out on a second-hand item than a regular retail purchase.
More than one in three Australians now visit an op-shop at least once a month, rising to 43% among those aged 25 to 34. Clothing was the most popular category, with 68% saying they had bought clothes from an op-shop in the past year, followed by books and media at 42%.
The study also found 53% shop at op-shops to support a charity or good cause, while 72% said charity op-shops feel more meaningful than traditional retail.

Events Sector Feels Impact

Perth, April 2: The Australian Business Events Association is calling on businesses affected by the Iran war to share evidence of how the conflict is impacting operations, as it builds a case for government support.
ABEA CEO Melissa Brown said: “We are encouraging all stakeholders – members and non-members – in the business events sector to share concrete examples of how the conflict is affecting them and where government support may help so we can continue building the evidence needed to advocate credibly and effectively.
“The government is receptive to hearing from the visitor economy as one voice.”
Brown said concerns raised so far include uncertainty around delegate attendance, airline access, rising food and beverage costs, increased fuel and freight expenses, and tighter event budgets.
“At a time of global uncertainty, Australia cannot afford to overlook the value of business events or the businesses that deliver them. Targeted government support may be critical to protecting the sector’s contribution and ensuring Australia remains competitive,” said Brown.