This submission responds to the NTC consultation paper, Heavy Vehicle Charges Determination: Consultation Regulation Impact Statement, June 2021 (NTC 2021).
The NTC paper develops three alternative heavy vehicle charging options, in addition to the status quo, and is seeking feedback on those alternatives and on their derivation. Taking feedback on the paper into account, the NTC intends to develop a heavy vehicle charges determination that will form the basis for setting heavy vehicle road use charges to apply for 2022-23. It is expected that the NTC will propose a few options and leave it to Ministers to choose from among those options, at an Infrastructure and Transport Ministers Meeting (ITMM). Ministers might choose from the options or decide to come up with another alternative. The Bus Australia Network (BAN) anticipates that the decision of the ITMM will most likely depend on their views about the overall rate of cost-recovery of road related costs that they believe should be achieved from heavy vehicles, taking account of the current and emerging economic environment.
This submission addresses:
- the key elements in the NTC approach in Section 2
- identifies the major impacts on the bus sector in Section 3
- provides key aspects and recommendations in Section 4
- responds to the specific questions posed by the NTC in its discussion paper in Section 5.
Enquiries relating to this submission can be directed to Roz Chivers, Executive Director – Bus Industry
Confederation by phone 02 6247 5990 or email to roz.chivers@bic.asn.au.
Submission due by 24 August 2021 to NTC Have your Say.