Delivering Tomorrow: National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy 2025

Introduction

In August 2025, following the 2023–24 review, the Australian Government released the updated National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy 2025 (the Strategy) and the accompanying National Action Plan. These documents set out a clear and coordinated roadmap for government and industry stakeholders to deliver a more productive, resilient and sustainable freight and supply chain industry. The Strategy is designed as a five-year plan, setting national priorities and actions for the freight and supply chain sector.

The refreshed Strategy and Action Plan set a unified national direction for the freight sector, with a strong focus on long-term competitiveness, reliability, and sustainability. The Strategy is structured around four national priority action areas: productivity, resilience, decarbonisation, and data, while safety is recognised as a cross-cutting issue underpinning all activities. In addition, the Strategy acknowledges the importance of integrating broader social, economic, and environmental considerations into freight planning and investment.

This article explores the key themes arising from the Strategy, and how governments can deliver on the Strategy through active collaboration with other jurisdictions and industry . It also marks the launch of our insight series, in which we will explore the implications of the Strategy for various sub-sectors within freight and supply chain and showcase best practices for government and industry.

Who should read this

The Strategy is a useful resource for:

• Infrastructure Developers considering project opportunities in multi-modal precincts, ports and logistics hubs.
• Logistics and Freight Operators looking for insights into operational changes and strategic priorities.
• Investors and Financiers seeking opportunities in this sector and an understanding of emerging trends and risk factors.
• Government and Policymakers, particularly at the State and Federal level, for guidance on collaboration with industry and policy alignment.
• Technology Providers exploring the role of digital transformation in freight and supply chain.

What this means for you

We anticipate that freight and the supply chain will move firmly into the spotlight, emerging as a central focus for investment and reform as the government intensifies efforts to drive productivity growth and resilience. With a strong emphasis on harnessing technological and digital advancements, and a clear commitment to accelerating decarbonisation, significant changes are on the horizon.

We encourage clients operating in this sector to undertake a thorough review of their medium-term corporate strategies to ensure alignment with these evolving priorities. Proactive engagement and strategic planning will be essential to remain competitive and resilient in this rapidly changing environment.

What you need to know

• The Strategy focuses on four National Priority Action Areas – Productivity, Resilience, Decarbonisation and Data – to guide the sector in delivering a more efficient, resilient and sustainable freight and supply chain industry.
• In addition to these four priorities, Safety is embedded as a cross-cutting issue throughout all National Priority Action Areas, with a strong emphasis on improving safety outcomes for workers and the community across all freight modes.
• The refreshed Strategy adopts a more targeted approach compared to its predecessor, featuring a reduced set of nationally significant actions (14 in total) which are aligned with the National Priority Action Areas and designed to deliver on six key objectives.

• To ensure the effective delivery of the six objectives outlined above, the Strategy emphasises the need for:
  • a collaborative, cross-jurisdictional and holistic approach, across all levels of government and between government and industry, to deliver coordinated, whole-of-network outcomes;
  • robust annual reporting and governance processes, with clear roles for federal, state, and territory governments, industry, and advisory bodies to ensure accountability and continuous improvement;
  • data-informed and transparent infrastructure investment decisions, leveraging enhanced national freight data collection, standardisation and sharing (including through the National Freight Data Hub) to guide prioritisation and maximise the impact of investments;
  • evidence-based performance measurement, including the development and use of KPIs to benchmark progress of the Strategy's implementation, identify gaps and inform future actions;
  • integration with broader national policy and reform agendas, including alignment with Infrastructure Policy Statement, National Urban Policy, Aviation White Paper, and the Transport and Infrastructure Net Zero Roadmap; and
  • ongoing stakeholder engagement and communication, maintaining active consultation with industry, government and the communit

How we can help

Our Infrastructure & Places team has worked extensively as a commercial and financial advisor to both government and industry clients across various sectors. Our Ashurst integrated offering also provides clients with seamless access to legal and regulatory solutions, along with other capabilities across Ashurst Risk Advisory in the technology, data and risk management space.

We support clients at every stage of the project lifecycle and can help ensure that you are aligned with the Strategy.