NHVR heads compliance forum

More than 30 decision-makers from Australia's road transport agencies, police services and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) met in Brisbane on Wednesday, April 30, to set national priorities with a view to developing a national approach to heavy vehicle compliance.

For years operators and drivers have struggled with inconsistencies in heavy vehicle compliance standards and the way those standards are enforced, with variations across jurisdictions causing confusion and frustration.

NHVR Chief Executive, Sal Petroccitto (pictured), said that with the majority of Australia's road freight vehicles now governed by the Heavy Vehicle National Law, the time is right to develop a national approach to heavy vehicle compliance and road safety.

"That's why I have called on the combined resources and intelligence of all of Australia's police services and road transport agencies, including Western Australia and Northern Territory, to form the National Compliance and Enforcement Operations Forum," he said.

"Today's gathering is the first step towards developing a truly national approach to heavy vehicle safety and compliance.

"A national approach means sharing what we know across agencies and across borders to better target enforcement operations.

"It means taking the best in safety and compliance systems and practice from one state and rolling it out across other jurisdictions. It also means best value spend for the safety and compliance dollar, which adds up to a significant public investment across the country.

"While we are talking with road transport authorities and police services today, there's definitely a place at this table for industry," said Mr Petroccitto.

The Australian Trucking Association has welcomed the formation of the forum, with ATA CEO Chris Melham stating the measure was an essential step on the journey to achieving a consistency across national compliance and enforcement.

"The development of this forum will go a long way towards delivering the seamless, consistent national service provision and regulation of heavy vehicles that the NHVR has been working towards since day one," Mr Melham said.

"It doesn't make sense to have a law that is enforced differently on one side of the border than the other. Equally, it's ridiculous for enforcement to be restricted by a change in jurisdiction.

"The trucking industry wants to see an effective national approach to enforcement, both across state lines and throughout all parties in the Chain of Responsibility. It shouldn’t matter which job you do or where you are: the law should apply exactly the same to everyone."

Mr Melham also said the ATA wants to see higher standards from enforcement officers, police and truck drivers alike.

"We see the forum as a very positive thing for the NHVR and the industry," he said.

"The ATA looks forward to working with the forum as these discussions continue in the future."