Warren Truss (Wide Bay, National Party, Leader of the Nationals) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to respond briefly to some of the minister’s comments. Firstly, I acknowledge that Infrastructure Australia has a range of functions, but amongst its specific objectives is the auditing of infrastructure. So it will in fact be auditing roads, rail, ports and all sorts of other things that come under the definition of infrastructure. If in fact it is necessary for Sir Rod to count the number of potholes—which I am sure he will not actually be physically doing—then it ought to be equally necessary for him to count the number of rest stops. In reality, in practice, what will happen is that he will receive advice, he will check that advice and Infrastructure Australia, by in fact auditing the program in relation to roadside rest areas, will just carry out the same kinds of functions that it is doing and which are a clear part of its charter.

I would also argue that a national network of roads stops is in fact an important piece of national infrastructure. Clearly, therefore, it sits squarely within the charter of Infrastructure Australia to make sure that our nation’s infrastructure is relevant and appropriate to our needs. I think it is the kind of thing that Infrastructure Australia was designed to do and therefore it is an appropriate body to undertake this kind of audit. If that is the only sticking point in the amendments, I am sure we can talk about it, but it does seem to me as though Infrastructure Australia is a body well placed to undertake an audit of that nature.

The question of providing rest areas—how many have been provided in the past and how many will need to be provided in the future—is of course greatly affected by the fact that we now have, in several states and shortly in all states but one, a new fatigue management system which requires trucks to stop more often and which makes it an offence in some states to go past a truck stop, even if it is full. So the provision of rest areas has become more urgent because of the introduction of the fatigue management system. Indeed, as I have said a couple of times in this debate, I think there is actually something a bit odd in the chronology when we pass the laws first and then build the necessary rest areas afterwards. It is pretty unreasonable to ask a truckie to stop at a rest area that does not exist. The Commonwealth and the states have an obligation to do much better in that area.

The next comment I would like to make is in relation to the minister’s views that this does not put pressure on the states because all the money, from both the registrations bill, which we have passed, and this one, ultimately goes to the states. I acknowledge that, but it does place some pressure on the COAG process, and particularly on the federal government to deliver on its promise that it would be able to negotiate—and deliver results—with the states. So it is appropriate that there be pressure placed on the federal government to deliver in this regard. I do not have the capacity in the parliament to move amendments that would impose requirements on the states. If I could I would, in this regard. I can only advocate measures that affect the federal parliament and the federal government, and that is what I am doing.

The minister is also correct to say that the legislation does not end the debate. There will still have to be regulations coming into the House to set future registration fees and the road user charge. I acknowledge that that process is still ahead of us but this bill sets the parameters for those regulations, and it is not possible for us to allow the passage of a bill that includes parameters that we find objectionable—including the provision that indexation of the excise would be one of the things that could be considered in the regulations. That is the reason we are seeking to amend the bill to take that provision out and to insert a range of other provisions about the way in which the negotiations and the setting of the charge would be undertaken.

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