Advice to the next government covers six major issues
The Australia Logistics Council (ALC) has offered the next federal government a blueprint for tackling priority issues.
The document advises a national focus on six primary subjects in the transport and logistics space: structure, planning, rail, road pricing, road safety and technology.
“Chief among these is ensuring Infrastructure Australia has the resources necessary to develop a comprehensive National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy to underpin future actions and reforms across the logistics industry,” ALC managing director Michael Kilgariff says.
“The development of a long term plan that incorporates the various, interlinked components of our national and international supply chains is fundamental to supporting Australia’s future economic growth.
“As part of this, we need leadership at the federal level to establish effective corridor protection mechanisms to ensure the timely preservation of freight corridors and strategic sites for future infrastructure.”
The concept of corridor preservation underpins another ALC recommendation – the need to ensure Badgerys Creek remains curfew free.
“A 24-hour a day airport in western Sydney, which can operate as efficiently as possible, is critical to supporting Australian exporters and maximising the opportunities this important new facility can ultimately deliver,” Kilgariff says.
“ALC is encouraging all political parties to acknowledge the enormous economic benefits that will flow from having a curfew-free airport and to make their future policy decisions on the airport’s operation accordingly.
“Continued support for the nationally significant Inland Rail Project is also high on our list, with an emphasis on ensuring there are efficient end-to-end connections from the rail line to key ports and intermodal facilities.
“Getting the Supply Chain Right also encourages Australia’s next government to work with industry to support innovative technologies that will improve workplace efficiency and safety.
“These technologies include cutting-edge rail technologies to support the efficient movement of freight and the deployment of mandatory telematics in heavy vehicles to track such things as speed and fatigue.
“The introduction of mandatory telematics has the potential to deliver significant safety benefits for road users and must be the focus of the next Government, rather than re-establishing the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.”
The document can be found here.