Australian Transport Council

REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL ROAD TRANSPORT COMMISSION ACT 1991

View report

The Australian Transport Council (ATC) considered the attached Review Report in August 2002. ATC subsequently recommended to Heads of Government that they agree to the recommendations of the Report, with the exception of recommendation 25 concerning funding arrangements that will be separately determined by ATC.

In addition ATC recommended to Heads of Government that the mandate of the new National Transport Commission (to replace the National Road Transport Commission) should allow it to address other rail regulatory and administrative issues (besides rail safety regulatory issues as recommended by the Review Report). Specific projects will be agreed by ATC as the Commission's develops its work program

All Heads of Government have agreed to the ATC recommendations.

The key recommendations of the Review Report include:

• continuation of the road transport reform process, with increased emphasis on maintenance of reforms that have already been implemented;
• extension of the National Road Transport Commission (NRTC) reform model to rail and intermodal operations. This means that a National Transport Commission (NTC) will be established to replace the NRTC;
• rail transport reform will include developing further the national approach to rail safety regulation, to achieve a more effective mutual recognition regime, and focussing on procedures and standards to manage major risk factors, such as fatigue. There will also be capacity to look at the broader array of rail regulatory issues; and
• establishment of a National Transport Advisory Council to provide strategic analysis and advice to ATC [being addressed separately from the National Transport Commission].

Last Updated: 9 June, 2005