The Queensland Transport and Multicultural Affairs Minister, Annastacia Palaszczuk MP has introduced the Heavy Vehicle National Law Bill into the Queensland Parliament.

The impact of the legislation when finally enacted in early 2012 will be to establish a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

“Arguably the introduction of this legislation and its impact on safety, productivity and efficiency is more historic than the establishment by the then Federal Labor Government of the National Road Transport Commission in the late eighties,” Queensland Trucking Association Ltd (QTA) Chief Executive Officer, Peter Garske said.

“The willingness of the Queensland Government to seek the responsibility in 2010 of hosting the NHVR and the action now taken by the minister will, in 2012, lead to all states of Australia, with the exception of Western Australia, passing their own legislation to ensure the national law, as enacted by Queensland, is effectively applied as law in their own jurisdiction”.

“When fully operational the application of road law across the country by the one regulator will deliver for all operators involved in the freight task peace of mind in the knowledge that there will be cross border consistency in not only the written legislation and regulation, but just as importantly, in compliance and enforcement”.

The NHVR is scheduled to commence operations on January 1, 2013 and will be responsible for administering the national law for heavy vehicles.

“The NHVR must not simply be another layer of bureaucracy; industry is demanding legitimate reform and a new way of doing business as we manage the freight task so critical to the economy,” Mr. Garske said.