The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has welcomed the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) continued dedication to a truly national enforcement regime through its new National Compliance and Enforcement Operations Forum, announced today.
The Forum brings together resources and intelligence from all of Australia’s police services and road transport agencies, including from Western Australia and the Northern Territory.
ATA Chief Executive Officer Christopher Melham said the Forum was an essential step in developing consistent national compliance and road safety outcomes across Australia.
“The development of this Forum will go a long way towards delivering the seamless, consistent national service provision and regulation of heavy vehicles that the NHVR has been working towards since day one,” Mr Melham said.
“It doesn’t make sense to have a law that is enforced differently on one side of the border than the other. Equally, it’s ridiculous for enforcement to be restricted by a change in jurisdiction.
“The trucking industry wants to see an effective national approach to enforcement, both across state lines and throughout all parties in the Chain of Responsibility. It shouldn’t matter which job you do or where you are: the law should apply exactly the same to everyone.
“We also need better targeted enforcement at the roadside. By sharing information across agency and state borders, enforcement officers and police can focus on the operators that do the wrong thing, not on the good operators who make up the vast majority of the industry.
“Finally, the ATA wants to see higher professional standards from enforcement officers, police and truck drivers alike.
“We all have a job to do: road agency and police staff have to enforce the law, and our drivers need to deliver every item on the shelves of every supermarket. It’s essential that these groups are reminded to treat each other as fellow professionals of the road, with the respect and professionalism that entails.
“We see the Forum as a very positive thing for the NHVR and the industry. The ATA looks forward to working with the Forum as these discussions continue in the future.”
