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NTC invites submissions on HVNL amendment

Retter says it is important to make sure authorised officers have right legal powers to enforce HVNL and COR laws

 

With the Heavy Vehicle National Law and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 currently before the Queensland parliament, the National Transport Commission (NTC) is inviting submissions from the industry on ways to improve enforcement laws.

The proposed provisions in the Bill will affect both the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and chain of responsibility (COR) laws.

NTC chief executive Paul Retter says Australia’s transport ministers have requested the NTC to examine whether the agencies charged with enforcing HVNL have the appropriate investigative and enforcement powers, including sanctions, to meet the objectives of the law.

“Australia needs to have laws that keep all road users safe,” Retter says. 

“As part of that we need to make sure police and other authorised officers have the right legal powers to enforce those laws.

“Of course we also need to make sure that these powers provide a sensible balance between the needs of regulators and rights of individuals.”

The transport commission says the review is a result of feedback provided by road transport and enforcement agencies about the complexity of the existing investigative and enforcement powers provisions, and the additional information gathering power proposed as part of the CoR reforms.

Cooper Grace Ward special counsel Gillian Bristow recently discussed the proposed changes to COR guidelines and what operators must do to remain complaint.

Submissions will be accepted until 4pm on December 9.

For more details, visit the NTC website.

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