Transport ministers must reduce fines on heavy goods vehicles that fail to improve safety outcomes, or admit that six years of reviewing the Heavy Vehicles National Act (HVNL) have been a failure, the Transport Minister has said. National Road Transport Association (NatRoad).

NatRoad was speaking in response to its submission on the draft new NVNL and the review of HVNL sanctions, one of only 10 filed before the November 21 deadline.

“After six years of discussions, the proposed changes to HVNL are incremental at best,” said Warren Clark, CEO of NatRoad.

“Ministers have not yet decided whether they will reduce unfair sanctions and the test of six years of discussions will be whether there will be significant, on-the-ground improvements to the industry.”

NatRoad said more penalties should be reduced and proposed increases should be rejected.

“The proposed changes to sanctions would allow 21 reductions, but 50 more penalty increases. In some cases, it is proposed that fines be increased by 100 percent, bringing maximum penalties to almost $30,000,” Clark said.

“This review is a missed opportunity to eliminate minor fines, which do not improve safety, nor provide meaningful reductions in these penalties to make the roads fairer for our drivers.

“We know that Australia is short of more than 26,000 driver jobs and punitive fines are only making the situation more difficult, with no measurable safety results.

“NatRoad has proposed a series of deeper penalty reductions for minor infractions. Governments should show leadership and prioritize reducing unfair fines. »

NatRoad’s submission also calls on governments not to go backwards by reducing flexibility in fatigue management.

“Buried in the details of the proposed new law and regulations are changes that would bring back fatigue flexibility for some operators currently under advanced fatigue management,” Clark said.

“It is completely unacceptable that a reform intended to bring us into the 21st century now threatens to set us back and undermine improved security outcomes. »

Future legislative and non-legislative reforms to improve heavy goods vehicle access also remain crucial.

“NatRoad has set a clear target: 90% of access permits must be removed by 2028,” Clark said.

“Governments must prioritize proposed changes to improve overall access and ensure automated access is provided on time and in full.

“If Australia does not fix access by 2028, then the HVNL review will have been a ten-year road to nowhere. »

Following a public consultation on the draft law and regulation, the National Transport Commission will present the legislative reform package to ministers in early 2025.

If approved by Ministers, the amended Act will be forwarded to the Queensland Parliament for consideration and enactment, as the host jurisdiction for the Act.