ATA issues truck tax warning

ATA Chair Geoff Crouch has warned about the effect that an increase in truck taxes would have on not only trucking operators, but small business and Aussie communities.

Appearing on Sky News, Channel Nine and ABC last week, Mr Crouch said the trucking industry stands united to reject the proposed increase.

Mr Crouch said the increase in truck taxes would have a flow-on effect to all Australians, driving up prices for customers and consumers.

At their meeting last Friday, transport ministers considered the NTC’s recommendation to increase truck charges by 11.4 per cent, and identified a preference for charges to instead rise by 2.5 per cent in 2020-21 and 2.5 per cent in 2021-22.

This week, industry representatives met with Assistant Freight Transport Minister Scott Buchholz, the National Transport Commission and the federal transport department to discuss the numbers behind the proposed increase.

"We're grateful to Minister Buchholz for his commitment to transparency, and have gone back to the NTC with a detailed query about their modelling of the charges," ATA Chief of Staff Bill McKinley said.

Meanwhile, the ATA and Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) have welcomed the establishment of a new Parliamentary Friends forum that will allow federal MPs and Senators to work more closely with the road transport and heavy vehicle industries.

Chaired by Assistant Minister for Regional Development and Territories Nola Marino and Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety Glenn Sterle, Parliamentary Friends of Trucks, Trailers, Transport and Logistics (PFTTTL) is a non-partisan forum for MPs and Senators to meet and interact with representatives of the transport industry.

The group said it will focus on priorities to make a safer, more productive and environmentally sustainable heavy vehicle industry.

HVIA President John Drake said it was very encouraging to see Australia’s politicians understand the importance of the trucking industry and their willingness to engage on important issues.

“This is an unrivalled opportunity for the industry to speak with a shared voice and to raise the profile of our amazing industry with decision-makers in the Federal Parliament,” Mr Drake said.

“We thank and acknowledge Chairs Marino and Sterle for their hard work in establishing the PFTTTL and look forward to working with all of the members of the group to ensure a positive result and improvements in heavy vehicle safety and productivity,” he said.