Rest areas funding passes

The Australian Government is now able to fund truck rest areas on Australia’s major highways, with the passage of the AusLink (National Land Transport) Amendment Bill through Parliament.

New heavy vehicle charges

The ATA say their Transport and Economics Committee will meet to plan an industry response to the Government’s new heavy vehicle charges legislation.

Call to deliver transport industry reforms

The ATA has argued the National Transport Commission (NTC) should stop work on its climate change strategy and focus on delivering transport industry reforms in a submission in response to the NTC’s discussion paper Freight Transport in a Carbon Constrained Economy.

Support for emissions trading proposal

The ATA has confirmed its support for the Australian Government’s proposals on how to deal with transport fuels in its emissions trading scheme. A meeting of the ATA’s General Council saw members endorse a submission in response to the Government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme Green Paper.

Minister backs single national system

The Australian Government will spend $4.5 million to prepare the regulatory impact statements for its major transport reforms, including its plan for a single national regulator for the trucking industry, according to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Anthony Albanese, in a speech to the Sydney Institute.

Call for submissions

Infrastructure Australia has called for public submissions about Australia’s infrastructure priorities, including priority road projects. It has also released a short discussion paper about Australia’s future infrastructure requirements.

Coalition support for rest areas

The truck rest area Bill now seems certain to become law, with the Federal Opposition announcing its support for the Bill in Parliament this week.

TMC Website

The ATA has launched an official website for the 2008 ATA/ARTSA Technical Maintenance Conference Online registrations for the conference have also opened. To celebrate, delegates who register through the website before Thursday 4 September will receive a $50 discount.

2.1 billion tonnes of freight in 2007

The Australian road freight sector carried more than 2.1 billion tonnes of freight in 2007, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Rest areas bill enters Parliament

The Australian Government will be able to fund truck rest areas on Australia’s major highways, as a result of a new Bill it introduced into Parliament.