The Australian Government in its Budget report for 2022 will aim to create jobs, guarantee the essential services, and build a more secure and resilient Australia.

The BIC has provided a submission to Treasury outlining key recommendations to assist covid-recovery and covid-resilience efforts of the bus and coach industry. Our report also seeks funding to support net zero heavy vehicle safety and the necessary skilled and resilient workforce we need.

Summary of key recommendations

Zero Emission

• Fund the development of industry led codes of practice, advisories, and guidelines to ensure the safe design, configuration, operation and maintenance of buses and other heavy vehicles.
• Develop a Zero Emissions Buses (ZEBs) Roadmap in conjunction with the state and territory governments and industry to provide certainty to the bus and coach industry who will need to invest significantly to facilitate the smooth transition to ZEBs.
• Accelerate the move to zero emission heavy vehicles through the development of a dynamic heavy vehicle recharging map accessible via the internet and apps, investment in public charging infrastructure to support en-route zero emission heavy vehicle recharging and provide incentive payments to reduce the cost of installing charging infrastructure at depots.

Workforce

• Allow pensioners to keep more of their age pension when they earn income by materially raising the fortnightly income threshold and increasing the work bonus, with this measure applying to both existing and new pensioners.
• Until June 2023, allow those already in receipt of the aged pension as of 1 January 2022 to earn at a significantly higher rate to unlock the potential for hours not otherwise worked.
• Take leadership in transitioning the heavy vehicle fleet to zero emissions and develop an appropriate qualification framework and incentives for new technology apprenticeships and traineeships in the heavy vehicle industry.

Tourism and connecting people

• Fund a marketing campaign highlighting regional tourism and focussing on touring or travelling by coach.