HVIA recently provided feedback to the Productivity Commission’s consultation on priority reform areas.
The Productivity Commission is the Australian Government’s principal advisory body on economic policy, regulation, and other social and environmental issues. It outlined fifteen priority reform areas under five key reform ‘pillars’, some of which are relevant to HVIA members and have been the focus of previous submissions to various levels of government.
HVIA’s submission to the Productivity Commission focussed on the following outcomes for HVIA members:
Pillar 1 – Creating A More Dynamic And Resilient Economy
HVIA response – reduce the impact of regulation on business dynamism, by:
> Reducing delays in obtaining Vehicle Type approvals;
> Update/modernise the Performance Based Standards (PBS) regulatory scheme;
> Harmonise Approved Vehicle Examiner (AVE) requirements across the country;
> Improve access for High Productivity Vehicles (HPVs), including harmonisation of state-based regulations;
> Resolve legislative issues to allow for powered trailers and other innovative heavy vehicles to be trialled and operated; and
> Revise and update the Australian Design Rules (ADR) review and development processes, and complete the harmonisation review of the ADRs themselves.
Pillar 2 – Building A Skilled And Adaptable Workforce
HVIA response – improve credit transfer and prior learning mechanisms by:
> Developing a nationally standardised Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) framework, with common evidence requirements and shared assessment criteria;
> Establish centralised digital tracking of credentials and credits, such as a national digital skills passport, to assist workers in carrying recognised experience across qualifications and providers;
> Create industry-endorsed skills verification mechanisms, allowing for practical, experience-based assessment outside the confines of Registered Training Organisations (RTOs);
> Align funding mechanisms to properly support RPL assessments, making them financially sustainable and attractive to providers.
> Better partnerships between the Vocational Education Training (VET) system and industry;
> Recognition of micro credentials and manufacturer/supplier training through a national framework; and
> Nationally consistent risk based licensing and regulatory frameworks that recognise the global nature of business and also provide clear pathways for workers to obtain licencing and recognition.
Pillar 3 – Harnessing Data And Digital Technology
HVIA response – support safe data access and handling through an outcomes approach to privacy issues, and correct use of consumer data through:
> Careful consideration of the rights of businesses, particularly when data was collected under a legislative or administrative requirement;
> Ensuring that voluntary participation in government data projects and initiatives is not negatively impacted by new regulations;
> Sensible implementation of regulatory controls on AI that do not unreasonably limit its utility in industry;
> Careful implementation and due diligence of new AI technologies in government decision making to ensure sensible and consistent outcomes; and
> Ensuring that the decisions made based on AI accurately reflect government policy and that suitable appeal and review mechanisms are in place for all these decisions.
Pillar 5 – Investing In Cheaper, Cleaner Energy And The Net Zero Transformation
HVIA response – reduce the cost of meeting carbon targets, including:
> Encouraging the coordination of effort towards net zero across industry, all levels of government, and relevant stakeholders, leading to consistent policy and investment decisions;
> Addressing the barriers to adoption, including up-front case, lack of infrastructure vehicle access restrictions, and payload penalty; and
> Recognise and encouraging the short-term emissions benefits of upgrading the existing fleet using modern fuel-efficient vehicles.
Please contact Chief Advocacy Officer Adele Lausberg at a.lausberg@hvia.asn.au to discuss any aspect of HVIA’s submission.