Is the National Land Freight Strategy on the right track

The 4th meeting of the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure (the Standing Council) has been held in Canberra to consider a wide range of transport initiatives and reforms. The Standing Council includes Transport, Infrastructure and Planning Ministers from the Commonwealth, States and Territories, New Zealand and the Australian Local Government Association.

National Transport Regulation reforms

The Standing Council took decisions to finalise the implementation of the national heavy vehicle, rail safety and maritime safety regulators. These reforms are expected to provide significant productivity benefits to the transport industry and to Australia’s national economy.

The National Rail Safety Regulator commenced operations on 20 January 2013 and the Rail Safety National Law has been enacted in South Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, New South Wales and Victoria. The Standing Council has now approved the fees regulation to apply for the 2013-14 financial year, following industry consultation by the National Regulator.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator was established on 21 January 2013. The Standing Council welcomed the passage of the Heavy Vehicle National Law 2012 and the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2013 in Queensland; which will allow other states and territories to pass enabling legislation in the coming months.

The Standing Council also approved the Advanced Fatigue Management arrangements for managing driver fatigue.

National Land Freight Strategy

The Standing Council agreed to the National Land Freight Strategy, which represents the first time a national approach to planning for freight has been jointly agreed by Australian governments. With Australia’s freight task forecast to double by 2030 from 2010 levels, the strategy provides an integrated approach to addressing the key issues confronting Australia’s freight infrastructure, identifying the measures needed to address planning, investment and regulatory challenges. Implementation of the strategy will commence immediately.

The strategy can be found at scoti.gov.au/publications/index.aspx.

ARA comment

The Australasian Railway Association (ARA) has welcomed the release of the National Land Freight Strategy by the federal and state governments, through the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI).

The strategy importantly sets out a work plan that will help realise the long term goals of an efficient, productive and competitive national land freight system, a sustainable land freight system that responds to growth and change, and that policies affecting land freight are aligned and coherent across government.

“With our population growing and demand for mining outputs and commodities on the increase, it’s vital that our freight transport systems are able to cope now and into the future,” said ARA CEO Bryan Nye.

Source: http://www.tandlnews.com.au/