Heavy Vehicle Regulatory Reform
In July 2009 the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed that a single national heavy vehicle regulatory regime be established by January 2013 to cover all vehicles over 4.5 gross tonnes. COAG agreed that the national regime include a single national regulator to administer a single set of national heavy vehicle laws replacing the separate and at times conflicting regulatory requirements on the heavy vehicle industry between States and Territories.
COAG's decision followed a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) process that investigated a framework for a single national system for heavy vehicle regulation. The RIS process included public consultation from December 2008 to February 2009 and again in April 2009. You can use the following links to find out more about the issues raised in the public consultation sessions and written submissions.
The consultation informed the final RIS which was completed in May 2009. A full copy of the final Consultation RIS can be downloaded below.
- Full Text [
PDF: 1477 KB] [
] - Appendix A [PDF: 740 KB] []
- Appendix B [PDF: 1222 KB] []
In February 2010, Queensland was announced as the host jurisdiction for the national heavy vehicle laws and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. A project office was established in Brisbane to implement the reform.
In February 2011 the draft Heavy Vehicle National Law and related RIS were released for public consultation.
In August 2011 an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) on Heavy Vehicle Regulatory Reform was signed by COAG (except Western Australia) setting out the principles and processes to implement the decision to deliver a national heavy vehicle regulatory system. The signing of this agreement recognises that the Commonwealth and the States and Territories have a mutual interest in improving national regulation and the need to work together to achieve these outcomes. Western Australia is yet to sign the IGA, but has provided in principle support for the reform.
On 4 November 2011 the Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2012 was approved by the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure and was passed by the Queensland Parliament on 23 August 2012.
A second Act, the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2013, addressing a number of issues that were unable to be resolved in the initial set of heavy vehicle national laws, was agreed by the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure on 13 August 2012 and passed by the Queensland Parliament on 14 February 2013. The other States and Territories are expected to pass legislation enabling the National Law in their jurisdictions throughout 2013.
The Heavy Vehicle National Regulations covering operational matters that support the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Act 2013 were agreed by the Standing Council on Transport and Infrastructure on 25 February 2013.
On 21 January 2013, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, which is based in Brisbane, commenced initial operations. Currently, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator manages the National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme and the Performance Based Standards Scheme as well as adopting a number of other important administrative functions. It will have full regulatory capability by July 2013 once states and territories pass laws to enable the National Law in their jurisdictions.
Information on the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and the roll out of services in 2013 can be found on the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator website at www.nhvr.gov.au or you can contact the Regulator on the following details:
Phone: 1300 MYNHVR (1300 696 487)
7.00am - 7.00pm (AEDT)
Standard 1300 call charges apply
Fax: 07 3309 8777
Email: info@nhvr.gov.au
If you wish to contact the Department of Infrastructure and Transport about the heavy vehicle regulatory reform initiative you can contact:
Geoff Johnston
Director, Heavy Vehicle Regulatory Reform
02 6274 6155
Geoff.Johnston@infrastructure.gov.au