Albo's Fuel Discount Stunt, The Nanny State vs Google Maps & Australia's First Crowd-Funded Lobbyist

This week, we unpack the 26 cent fuel excise cut that's supposed to save you money at the pump while the government quietly hands over $10 billion a year in petrol subsidies to Gina and her mining mates. We break down why this three month discount costs taxpayers $2.5 billion, how 15 mining companies pocket $3 billion a year from fuel tax rebates punters never get, and why even Fortescue's CEO Dino Otranto is calling out the scam on LinkedIn. CBA Boss Backs Gas Tax & The Lobbyist Power Play The head of Commonwealth Bank publicly backs a windfall profits tax on gas companies, and we explain why corporate Australia is finally picking sides. We meet Punter Rachel, the crowd funded lobbyist hired with your $80,000 to take on the gas cartel in Canberra. She breaks down her strategy for targeting marginal seats, lobbying crossbenchers, and preparing for budget week to expose exactly what the gas lobby asked for and what they got. Nanny State Update: P Platers Banned From Google Maps Queensland police confirm that learner and P plate drivers are banned from using Google Maps on their phones, even hands free, even through Bluetooth, but they're legally allowed to unfold a street directory while driving. We sound the nanny state alarm again and explain why this rule is peak Karen policy that makes young drivers less safe, not more. Card Surcharge Ban Finally Arrives & The Free Sauce Quest Launches From October 2026, Australians will no longer be slugged with card surcharges at checkout, ending the $1.6 billion annual cash grab by banks on Visa and Mastercard transactions. We celebrate the win, call out the final cash grab delay, and launch the free sauce side quest with stickers, bottles, and a heat map at freesauce.quest to track every pie shop in Australia giving punters a fair squeeze. Bypass the Algorithm, Sign up to the Punter Times Newsletter https://www.punterspolitics.com/pages/email-sign-up Support We the Punters on PATREON (https://www.patreon.com/punterspolitics) Buy Punters Stickers & T-shirts (https://www.punterspolitics.com/)