The Managing Director of the Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has warned a meeting of the nation’s top logistics minds that the industry risks stagnation in productivity gains if the transport reforms proposed by the Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) are not fully implemented.

ALC Managing Director, Michael Kilgariff, said that COAG’s Seamless Economy Agenda reforms are key to making the productivity gains so desperately needed by the sector.

“Putting in place a national law for each of the transport modes, administered by a single regulator, is critical to boosting productivity, increasing efficiency and improving safety in the freight logistics industry,” Mr Kilgariff told delegates attending the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies Leadership and Policy Series. 

“However, the full productivity benefits of this important reform are at risk if all stakeholders do not fully get behind this historic change and implement the necessary steps to achieve a seamless regulatory environment for the transport sector.

“ALC welcomes the passage of the Heavy Vehicle National Law through the Queensland Parliament last week, the commencement of the National Rail Safety Regulator in January and looks forward to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority becoming the single national regulator in March.

 Mr Kilgariff told the audience ALC is looking to political parties this election year to focus on policies that: 

  • support productivity growth
  • enhance infrastructure development
  • reduce red tape that adds to compliance costs and hampers innovation
  • encourage the continuation of the COAG seamless economy agenda