When the National Transport Commission (NT C) first opened its doors 21 years ago, Australia was in the grip of a major recession. Policy makers were grappling with how to restructure Australia’s economy to improve its competitiveness and bring about dramatic economic change. The transport sector, with its ability to significantly impact Australia’s productivity, was identified as a priority area for reform. In particular, many of Australia’s political leaders believed the efficiency of the transport industry was being held back by a proliferation of different state and territory regulatory frameworks. Gordon Amadee, inaugural chairman of the NT C, aptly described the difference in regulatory frameworks at the time as ‘an anathema to the very idea of competitiveness’. Reflecting on our 21-year history, it is exciting to see how far we have come as an organisation, and as a nation. Although differences in regulatory frameworks still exist, substantial progress has been made–you need only look at the time line on the inside cover of this report to be reminded of just how much the NT C has accomplished in partnership with governments and industry. The 2011—12 financial year has been no exception. During the past year, significant advances in the national reform agenda have been made. In particular, the approval of national laws to underpin the establishment of a National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and National Rail Safety Regulator were critical milestones. The approval of these laws will significantly cut red tape, and boost safety and productivity across the industry. We are proud of our contribution to these nation-changing reforms and of the benefits they will bring to Australia. While the establishment of national regulators will take Australia a step closer to realising the goal of becoming a seamless national economy, a significant reform agenda remains. Australia is facing a range of complex and interlinked challenges–productivity growth is slowing, the infrastructure backlog is increasing, carbon emissions are rising, and the number of people who are killed or injured on our roads remains unacceptably high. Within this context, the current Review of NTC & Other Bodies is timely because it provides governments with an opportunity to consider the future long-term national productivity reform agenda and the evolution of national institutions to support it. There is no doubt that the world as we know it is changing. Powerful advances in information technology are opening up new opportunities to achieve improved transport safety, efficiency and sustainability. While research has shown that city logistics initiatives designed to move people and freight more efficiently can reduce congestion and emissions, save on transport costs and improve amenity. Likewise, market-based reform has the potential to offer significant benefits, including addressing Australia’s sizeable infrastructure backlog. We believe our nation’s prosperity and liveability will be dependent on our ability to work together to harness these opportunities. We cannot afford to be complacent–we need to get smarter as a nation about how we use our existing infrastructure and look to innovative reforms that will position us well for the future. (Author/publisher)
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