Industry calls for consultation on national transport regulators

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) were responding to the recommendation by Australia’s transport ministers that the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agree on a transition to single national regulators covering rail safety, maritime safety and heavy vehicles, and a national investigator for rail accidents.

The reforms will now be put to COAG for approval with a view to achieving full implementation by 2013.

On road freight, the regulator would be responsible for all heavy vehicles of more than 4.5 tonnes, with a commitment to improving safety and preserving local productivity initiatives.

ATA chairman Trevor Martyn welcomed the decision but warned there would need to be extensive consultation with trucking operators and industry associations.

“The ATA believes there needs to be a single, easy-to-use body of law which clearly covers the field for road transport.

"National regulations and a single national regulator have the potential to be an essential safety initiative with efficiency improvements for regulators and operators,” Mr Martyn said.

On safety, the ATA expected the plan to deliver:

• easier to understand laws and a better understanding of the rules within industry, leading to greater compliance;

• seamless chain of responsibility laws which are fully operational across borders;

• more consistent on-road enforcement;

• the introduction of modern, safer vehicle configurations;

• more opportunity for industry leadership in adopting leading edge safety aids.

“However, operators, drivers and our customers need to be able to move forward without losing their existing productivity and access arrangements and other benefits," Mr Martyn said.

“In particular, it needs to be remembered that most of the trucking industry does not operate across state borders and will not directly benefit from national heavy vehicle regulations.

"These companies will only benefit if the uniform regulations are easier to understand and follow.

"Any change must not disadvantage their operations, while promoting similar positive outcomes for interstate operators and national companies who operate on intrastate routes.

“It also needs to be understood that many of the benefits of a single national regulator and a national body of regulations will only emerge when safer, high productivity truck combinations such as B-doubles and B-triples can be used on more of the road network.”

The ARA said the industry noted that the Australian Transport Council (ATC) proposal pointed to one jurisdiction "hosting" the regulator’s national office and "laws".

It was crucial that the underpinning "law" was the uniform national rail safety legislation already developed by National Transport Commission (NTC), approved by ATC and supported by Industry, and not a single state’s version of this legislation, the ARA said.

The Industry believed full rail reform implementation could be achieved by January 1, 2012, at the latest and that 2013 gave the states "far too long".

NTC chief executive Nick Dimopoulos also welcomed the ministers' decision as a boost for safety and the economy and a major step toward a "genuine national market in transport”.

"As Australia’s transport task grows, a more streamlined regulatory system will deliver long-term safety and productivity gains,” he said

The NTC had worked with all governments, industry and unions to develop the proposal for a single national rail safety regulator and investigator.

Currently a third of the rail industry has operations in multiple states and deals with two or more regulators.

“Dealing with a single body administering one set of regulations and processes will reduce industry compliance costs and allow rail operators to grow their business safely,” Mr Dimopoulos said.

“The ability to share the expertise, experience and knowledge of regulatory staff nationally will also help to deliver improved safety outcomes.”

The ATC agreed to propose to COAG that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority become the national regulator of all commercial vessels operating in Australian waters and agreed to recommend the creation of a national rail safety regulator, with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to become the preferred investigator of rail accidents.

ATC ministers also approved the revised National Maritime Place of Refuge Guidelines, which reflect changes involving the National Maritime Emergency Response Arrangements.