Opinion

Complexity On Top Of Complexity

complexity on top of complexity

Just organising border crossings for freight operators in these difficult times sees complexity on top of complexity mount, with different passes for every state subdivided by rules about what you can and cannot have done in the last 14 days. 

The need to keep up with all of this is a creation of our federal system, allocating separate responsibilities and obligations to the individual states with no central government overlay to encourage consistency across the states. (see ‘One Country, Eight Systems’, from a few weeks ago.)

The problems are further exacerbated by the speed at which rule changes are made, in the face of a fast moving virus like the delta variant, which is causing so many problems in New South Wales just now, and a keeping a few other states on tenterhooks.

It wouldn’t be so bad if this was the only cross border problem, but, of course, it isn’t. it is just the latest cross border problem. These latest requirements, around Covid testing, location reporting and declaration rules are just the cherry on top of an already large cake. A truck can only cross the border after making sure it has the right permits, the right type of combination, the correct mass distribution, etc, and the driver also has the right up-to-dater paperwork.

Scheduling trucks to be in the right place at the right time, with the right load is a nightmare at the best of times. Adding in complexity on top of complexity, with all of the usual regulations around compliance being added to by a constantly moving set of regulations, which can change as the truck heads for the border, is an ongoing nightmare.

Luckily, my job does not involve actually ensuring trucks and driver can cross our many borders and be certain of compliance. I am just a spectator.

complexity on top of complexity

However, every time I check on the NatRoad Covid-19 Updates  page and skim over the border requirement state by state, I thank my lucky stars I am not having to try and walk through this minefield every day.

Let’s hope we can find a way out of this mess sometime soon.

complexity on top of complexity

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