etruck.com.au

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.

The Bill is formally known as the AusLink (National Land Transport) Amendment Bill. It will give the Government the legal power to fund truck rest areas under its $70 million Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program. It will also open the way for the Government to provide more money for rest areas under its AusLink land transport program in the years to come.

In his second reading speech on the Bill, the Leader of The Nationals and Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Local Government, Warren Truss, said the Opposition had no problem with this change to the AusLink (National Land Transport) Act.

Truss said he was puzzled by the Government’s argument that the Bill was also necessary to enable it to fund electronic truck monitoring systems. He said these systems could be funded already.

The Bill does not change the Government’s position that it will only go ahead with the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program if the Senate agrees to its planned increase in the road user charge.

The debate on the Bill will continue when Parliament resumes on 15 September. The Government needs the support of the Opposition or all seven cross bench Senators to get Bills like this one through the Senate.