The Australian Government acknowledges the work completed by the Productivity Commission through its inquiry report on National Transport Regulatory Reform.
The reforms examined by the Productivity Commission were agreed by the then Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2009 to establish national regulatory regimes for rail safety, domestic commercial vessel safety, and heavy vehicle safety and productivity. These changes were a vital step towards national alignment in our transport sectors.
COAG also established three national transport safety regulators, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
The Productivity Commission’s inquiry into the progress of these reforms provides useful guidance for governments, regulators and industry seeking to work together to further promote safety and productivity. The report found the transition to national transport safety laws and regulators is almost complete, though with some unfinished business. The Australian Government is committed to working with state and territory governments to ensure Australia’s transport laws are consistent and fit for purpose, including by examining the Productivity Commission’s recommendations.