Bring common sense back on the roads: NFF
Farming peak body launches campaign calling for harmonisation of road regulations across the country for farm machinery transportationThe National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) has launched a campaign urging Government to cut the red tape on heavy equipment movement on public roads.
At present, there are 14 different state notices for moving agricultural machinery, making it all too complicated for farmers to apply for permits to transport different types of machinery.
“The rules vary vastly from state to state and shire to shire and in many cases do not adequately recognise the needs of farm businesses,” says NFF Chief Executive Officer, Tony Mahar.
Mahar says farmers acknowledge the need for regulations to keep road users safe, but if road regulations applying to farm machinery are not modernised, they threaten to place a handbrake on the burgeoning farm sector.
“Larger, more efficient farm vehicles and machines play an important part in keeping Australia’s farmers competitive,” he says.
“Being able to move this equipment between properties is fundamental to the business of farming.”
The NFF is asking regional road users, through the
campaign, to make the case for reform of agricultural machinery regulation.In September, the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) released an Issues Paper on national road access laws for agricultural machinery.
"The issues paper clearly outlines the problem: that current regulations do not take into account the nature of the agricultural fleet, nor the quick decisions farmers need to make when managing crops," Mahar says.
To reduce red tape and improve clarity, several state governments - Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania - have signed up to the National Heavy Vehicle Law and are committed to developing a single agricultural notice to replace the previous 14 different state notices.
"We urge the States and Territories to remain committed to genuine harmonisation – our industry is counting on it," Mahar says.
He says having a single national notice would improve both compliance and road safety.
“To restore common sense, we're asking regional roads users to help by calling for fit-for-purpose road regulations that let our farmers get on with the business of growing the world’s best food and fibre."
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