ALC release own safety policy for transport and logistics

The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has released its policy on transport and logistics reform which supports the development of one national law to regulate safety in the Australian transport and logistics industry.

The ALC’s report, Policy on Safety in the Australian Transport and Logistics Industry, was released as part of its role in leading the national discussion on logistics infrastructure and regulatory reform.

“Over 2011, the national rail/marine safety regulations and the national heavy vehicle laws consolidation will be developed, with a targeted commencement date of 1 January 2013,” ALC CEO Michael Kilgariff said. 

“These regulators will not be deemed a success if we just create a new layer of regulation, rather than national laws with real ‘teeth’”, Kilgariff said.

“The purpose of the ALC Policy on Safety in the Australian and Logistics Industry is to state the case for truly national laws to regulate safety in the industry,” he said.

“The development of the national rail/marine safety regulators and the current National Heavy Vehicle Laws Consolidation is the best way to develop such a national law.

“Different laws in different states and territories has led to confusion and added compliance costs to industry, without a clearly identifiable benefit to safety outcomes.  

“Safety in the Australian T&L industry should therefore be covered by one national law given effect by a  single ‘applied or template law’ – a law passed in one Australian state or territory and adopted in all the others.

“ALC will advocate that ALC codes of practice satisfying relevant guidelines should be recognised under the National Heavy Vehicle Law Consolidation and the national Workplace Health and Safety law (to commence in 2012) as codes of practice under the relevant legislation,” Kilgariff said.

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