Road Freight NSW handed out its pre-election report card for both the major parties on their transport policies. Now a Minns’ Labor government is in place, see what it means for the state’s transport and freight sector.
Association Road Freight New South Wales (RFNSW) has rated the roads and transport policies and commitments of both of the major parties from the weekend’s NSW state election.
The NSW Labor party ended up winning the election and assuming government for the state, with RFNSW agreeing with the majority of their stances in their pre-election report card.
RFNSW gave Labor’s proposed $1.1 billion on road upgrades over the next three years a tick.
“This is a welcome package in the Greater Sydney Basin for public roads, amongst others,” RFNSW says.
The association also supported the party’s proposal to cut the average truck toll by $8 by implementing a toll cap for two years from January 1, 2024.
This incentivisation of truckies on toll roads has long been a key priority for RFNSW, and this proposal will help lower the financial burden on travelling on these roads often.
RFNSW also approved of the Labor’s party review of toll network proposal that will be conducted by former ACCC Chairman Professor Allan Fels to scrap an estimated $50 million in administration charges for toll road users.
“Recycling debt has been a buzz word for years, but NSW needs to ensure that value for money for the heavy road freight lifters paying the most for tolls are also covered in toll reform,” RFNSW says.
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Next was regional road repairs and Port Botany, which RFNSW both gave the thumbs-up for courtesy of Labor’s plans to pump $670 million into a new Emergency Road Repair Fund and pledging not to privatise government-owned assets.
The only cross that RFNSW gave the Labor party was its plans to pause construction on the Great Western Highway upgrade that would link Sydney to western NSW.
“It’s disappointing, but given the cost of this project, it’s not surprising,” RFNSW says.
On the losing Liberal Nationals Coalition side, RFNSW gave ticks to the party’s planned road upgrades and planned port reform through the Supply Chain Commissioner appointment, but gave crosses out to the Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy (PBLIS) review, plans for toll road reforms and a question mark to heavy vehicle licence course cuts.
With Labor winning the election, RFNSW is confident that transport will receive the care and funding it needs in NSW.
“NSW Labor has indicated who will be ministers in the roads portfolios and have a strong line up of roads ministers, with the experienced Jenny Aitchison and the savvy John Graham, to name a few,” RFNSW says.
“A net positive of this election campaign was the decency, respect and civility with which the leaders of the major parties conducted themselves with each other, making it a net positive for the NSW community.”