Partial refund of past 3 years of heavy vehicle registration offered for drought-affected farmers from November 2018
The New South Wales government will partially refund heavy vehicle registration charges paid by farmers and other primary producers going back three years.
The change comes as the NSW government announces the launch of 97 road safety projects to take place on regional roads across the state.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro says the changes, due to take effect from November 1, will save the average farmer an average of $2,094 each.
“Farmers will also receive free registration over the next two years for their heavy vehicles,” he says.
“We don’t want to see anyone pay more than they should for essential costs such as vehicle registration, especially farmers in regional NSW who are doing it tough right now.”
The registration rebate will apply to all renewals from July 1 2018 until June 30 2020. For producers who register their vehicles between July 1 and November 1 this year, the amount will be refunded.
Farmers will still have to pay for Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance, personalised plates and relevant vehicle checks, for the safety of all road users.
Affected customers will be contacted by Roads and Maritime Services from November 1 with the refund amounts, the minister says.
The NSW government also waived its registration charges for Class 1 agricultural vehicles for drought-affected farmers from July 30 – including vehicles such as combine harvesters, tractors and some bulldozers.
NSW Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight Melinda Pavey said these changes come at a crucial time for farmers in regional NSW.
“I recognise that for farmers struggling right now the refunds will be important to give them some cash flow. Many are feeding stock and water is becoming more expensive, with freight costs quickly piling up,” she says.
“We know what farmers really need is rain, but this initiative goes that little bit further to ease the situation they find themselves in.”
On the same day as the refund was announced, Pavey launched of the government’s Saving Lives on Country Roads Program – part of the government’s $1.9 billion five-year road safety initiative announced in the 2018-19 Budget earlier this year.
The first round of the program will see $50 million invested to deliver 97 projects, including the installation of safety barriers, audio-tactile line markings and upgrades of high-risk curves.
A second round of infrastructure upgrades will take place next financial year, she says.