Infrastructure Australia sees new position for road advisory groups and new roles for National Transport Commission
July 16, 2012
Infrastructure Australia’s (IA) Office of the National Infrastructure Coordinator has called for certain expert bodies to be put on a more formal footing if they are to continue being part of the transport reform agenda.
The organisations -Austroads, ARRB, Transport Certification Authority, Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board – along with the National Transport Commission, are undergoing a Transport and Infrastructure Senior Officials’ Committee review.
The committee reports to the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI).
“It is unclear why the other nominated organisations are considered to be part of the formal advisory structure for the Standing Council,” the office says.
“These organisations evolved from the wishes of agencies and industry groups, rather than a need to serve the Ministerial Council.
“They have no formal reporting relationship to the Commission.
“However, these organisations house skills and information that would be important to underpin development and implementation of a wider transport reform agenda including some of the priority issues for the Standing Council.
“If it is intended that these organisations support the future work of the Standing Council, they should be brought into more structured arrangements, for example by undertaking tasks for the National Transport Commission.
“A similar approach could be adopted – to the extent necessary – for other organisations with similar functions supported by Government.
“These organisations include the Cooperative Research Centre for Rail Innovation; State Freight Councils; University centres.”
On the commission. the Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has questioned the need for it, saying it has been superseded and that its funds should be diverted to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and rail regulator, under the supervision of and giving specialist advice to the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure (SCOTI).
IA, however, points out that earlier reviews had highlighted the need for transparent advice to the Ministerial Council and that, in the absence of a national transport plan, there is no independent adviser on the infrastructure costs of regulatory reform.
“An important reason for the Commission’s current advisory function is the Standing Council’s voting on some road regulatory matters,” it says.
“The voting arrangements for roads do not occur for other nationally significant infrastructure.”
IA does canvas an option for the commission to shift its focus “away from operational regulatory reforms to the more substantive agenda”.
This might include advising the SCOTI on:
- national consistency in regulation and operation across transport modes
- a national level view of the current and likely future condition of Australia’s roads, particularly local roads
- implementation of the national transport plan
- implementation of road governance reform.
