State argues that fees still lower than being part of NHVR
The Western Australian government appears not for turning on its decision to raise state heavy vehicle registration fees.
Despite calls for a rethink from the Livestock and Rural Transport Association of Western Australia (LRTAWA) and the Western Roads Federation (WRF) the office of state transport minister Rita Saffioti indicates there are no plans to rethink the rise.
“The state government announced a freeze on household fees and charges, including vehicle licence fees, on 16 March 2020,” a state government spokesperson tells ATN.
“This freeze in charges does not apply to heavy vehicle motor vehicle licence [MVL] fees, as they are not part of general household fees.
Read about the trucking industry plea for a rego hike delay, here
“Heavy motor vehicle licence fees will increase by 2.5 per cent from 10 July 2020.
“In 2019-20, the average MVL fee payable in WA was $870, so the proposed increase in 2020-21 will on average be $22 per vehicle.
“WA is not part of the jurisdiction of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator [NHVR], which has agreed to freeze fees for 2020-21, but from a higher base.
“In 2020-21, WA’s heavy vehicle industry would be paying about 4 per cent more in fees if the NHVR fee structure – despite the freeze – applied than it will be under the WA fee structure.
“For example, a two axle rigid truck over 12 tonnes in WA will increase from $852 a year to $873.30.
“This is in comparison to two axle rigid truck over 12 tonnes on the national structure which would still be paying a licence fee of $975.”
The spokesperson notes that in WA, unlike other states, motor vehicle licence fee revenue “is used to fund upgrades to roads and improve road safety, to the benefit of all road users” and that the present state government “is spending a record amount on road safety and road improvement projects”.