BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//hacksw/handcal//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VEVENT DTEND:20260409T140000 UID:69e597d5b4111 DTSTAMP:20260420T130453 LOCATION:NSW Treasury Level 21\, 52 Martin Place\, Sydney 2000 NSW DESCRIPTION:NSW Treasury and the Economic Society of Australia (ESA \;NSW) are pleased to invite you to a Distinguished Speaker seminar on &lsquo\;Road user charge reform and the political shift in interest in Australia: some thoughts to contemplate&rsquo\;\, with Professor David Hensher\, Professor and Founding Director Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (ITLS) at the University of Sydney Business School. The 2024 electric vehicle distance-based charge introduced in Victoria to recognise that such vehicles do not pay fuel excise tax\, led to a high court challenge in which it was deemed unconstitutional for a State to introduce such a charge\, which is the responsibility of the Federal government (through legislation amendment). This loss of fuel excise as a tax (not a charge)\, on electric cars whetted the appetite of the Federal Government to place road user charging on a round table in August 2025. We now have elevated the topic right into the political sphere where any change will require such support\, and it opens up an opportunity to not only consider the fuel excise issue per se but the broader agenda on road pricing reform. For the first time\, we have a political appetite to do something even if it is driven by a loss of fuel excise revenue which has never been earmarked back to roads but is a backbone revenue source for many Federal government initiatives. In this session\, we consider a number of ways in which we can begin the journey to satisfy the political appetite while achieving much broader efficiency and equity objectives. We also comment on progress in New Zealand and Iceland. Date: Thu 9 April Time: 12.45pm Registration | 1:00pm &ndash\; 2:00pm Event (with opportunity for networking after the event) Venue: NSW \;Treasury\, \;Level 21\, 52 Martin Place\, Sydney and online \;(street entrance via 127 Phillip Street) Please bring photo ID and \;arrive at 12:45pm to allow time for check-in at the ground floor Concierge. Don&rsquo\;t miss this opportunity to hear directly from one of Australia&rsquo\;s most experienced economic thinkers. This event is free to attend for members and $10 for non-members. Registration is essential.  \; For online attendees\, you will receive your link closer to the event date The timing of this event is AEDT \;(SYD/CBR/MEL). URL;VALUE=URI:http://esansw.org.au/event/65764 SUMMARY:NSW Treasury Distinguished Speaker David Hensher AM DTSTART:20260409T130000 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR