Among the ATA’s many suggested reforms includes abolishing the NTC to help fix the HVNL
The Australian Trucking Council (ATA) General Council met last week, with the agenda including Ken Kanofski’s review of the National Transport Committee (NTC) ’s rewrite of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
The ATA has proposed a circuit breaker to end the impasse over the HVNL, drafting the Road Transport Act policy, and calling for the NTC to be abolished.
In his published review, Kanofski says the Road Transport Act was very helpful for his process and the ATA engaged in a very positive manner with his work.
“My analysis shows that 13 of 17 ATA proposals are fully or substantially aligned with proposals in this report,” Kanofski says.
This was welcome news, but the ATA’s view is that despite the Kanofski Review, productivity and access remain a problem.
Council supported a proposal that the ATA and its members:
- seek high level industry representation on the review of the National Heavy Vehicle Access Policy Framework, as well as on the implementation working group
- seek high level representation on the steering committee for the national implementation plan for upgraded access arrangements
- press governments to involve industry in the economic appraisal of the six productivity projects that the ATA proposed
- seek the abolition of the NTC
The ATA Council also supported a proposal to ministers that the implementation of the Kanofski review recommendations be split into two paths:
- a path for minor and governance amendments. These amendments would be introduced into the Queensland Parliament in 2023
- a major reform path for the review recommendations that require further consideration or regulatory impact analysis
The Council agreed to ‘concerted action’ to encourage ministers and governments support this ‘split’ approach, amid fears that otherwise, the HVNL may not be amended for years.