The ATA submission to the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development inquiry into National Freight and Supply Chain Priorities argues that the current policy guiding the positive assessment of infrastructure investments (over $100 million) by Infrastructure Australia must be legislated.

Current governance, taxation and institutional arrangements for the provision and funding of roads in Australia is simply not sustainable. If road infrastructure gaps, namely in northern Australia, are to be addressed, improvements to the quality and effectiveness of infrastructure investment is critical.

The ATA advocates that the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy must include the trucking industry as a critical component. Australia’s global competitiveness will be restricted as long as trucking – as a major component of our supply chains – is overcharged. Overcharging simply builds additional costs into the supply chains – the economical, low cost end-to-end supply chains that Australia’s global competitiveness relies on.

Imposing unfair costs or failing to build and maintain our road network will leave Australian goods uncompetitive and unconnected from the global marketplace.

Other relevant ATA submissions:

Independent price regulation submission

Regulatory options to assure automated vehicle safety in Australia