ALC welcomes review of Road Safety Remuneration System

The Australian Logistics Council, the peak industry body for the freight logistics industry, has welcomed the Government’s announcement of an independent review into the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal and the Road Safety Remuneration Act 2012.
“ALC believes a review into both the Act and Tribunal is appropriate given the potential for significant overlap between the Tribunal’s orders and the Heavy Vehicle National Law and workplace health and safety laws,” said Michael Kilgariff, ALC Managing Director.
“ALC called for such a review in its pre-election document Time to Deliver as well as in a new publication released this week Stronger Supply Chains: A Stronger Australia which has been provided to all Ministers, Shadow Ministers, MPs, Senators and State/Territory Infrastructure and Transport Ministers.
“And earlier this year, ALC made a submission to the Tribunal outlining ALC’s concerns over the potential for regulatory overlap between the Tribunal’s proposed orders and other regulatory instruments.
“The Heavy Vehicle National Law, which is currently being implemented around Australia, specifically manages speeding and fatigue which are the areas of greatest concern in the sector.
“These national laws, which would provide for the first time a national approach to Chain of Responsibility, need to be given time to be implemented and bedded down.
“In its current form, the Road Safety Remuneration Act prevails over all other laws, including the Heavy Vehicle National Law.
“This is a recipe for inefficiency, confusion and increased costs without any demonstrated commensurate improvement in safety.
“ALC looks forward to the independent review by Mr Rex Deighton-Smith examining whether the Tribunal and Act represent an effective means of addressing safety concerns in the road transport industry,” he said.