The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) has put forward a submission to the Productivity Commission about the importance of sound Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) processes. As an example, the ATA outlined how poor regulatory impact analysis throughout the National Transport Commission’s (NTC) review of heavy vehicle charges has led to a poor outcome and a lack of trust between the NTC and industry. In its submission, the ATA recommends that stronger RIS requirements with meaningful obligations be imposed on CEOs of Commonwealth agencies, and calls for a post-implementation RIS to be commissioned to clearly and fairly assess the impact of the changes to heavy vehicle charges in industry and the wider community. ATA National Policy Manager, David Coonan (left), said the NTC’s avoidance of a clear and fair regulatory impact procedure has damaged the relationship between the NTC and the industry. “Having the Productivity Commission look at the regulatory impact procedures is a matter of helping the Government to make informed decisions,” David said. “The ATA believes that the incorporation of a more robust RIS is an essential part of new policy decisions, leading to better outcomes for all Australians.”
