ALC welcomes national approach to Road User Charge

The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has welcomed comments by the federal government on the importance of coordinating a nationally consistent Road User Charge (RUC).

ALC said it supports the development of a national RUC system through the National Cabinet process. The council believes a national approach to the RUC will ensure a sustainable stream of investment in transport infrastructure and provide clarity for operators in the freight and logistics supply chain.

ALC chief executive officer Brad Williams, said it was critical that National Cabinet established a pathway for the development and implementation of a nationally consistent RUC across all vehicle classes.

“Australia has a national economy and we need to put in place a fit for purpose and nationally consistent RUC system,” Williams said.

“The uptake of electric vehicles provides an important catalyst for change and if we get the reform consistent across the board, it will provide a sustainable source of investment for government to build and maintain safer, more efficient road networks,” he said.

ALC said its announcement follows recent comments made in The Australian newspaper, which quote Federal Minister for Finance, Simon Birmingham, describing the road user charging systems in Victoria and South Australia as “mature approaches” and outlining the need for a sustainable revenue source to build infrastructure.

In a submission to the Senate Economics Committee last year, ALC outlined the need for a nationally consistent road user charging system across all jurisdictions, to avoid regulatory duplication.

“A nationally consistent reform will require collaboration between Federal and State / Territory Governments to deliver uniformity for the supply chain,” Williams said.

“Freight knows no borders and inconsistencies with road charging schemes will create confusion and difficulty for those in the national freight and logistics supply chain,” he concluded

Source: Australian Logistics Council

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