ALC chief executive Michael Kilgariff. Photo source: ALC

The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has called for immediate action on the national freight effort.

Responding to the government’s National Land Freight Strategy Discussion Paper, ALC chief executive Michael Kilgariff says the strategy’s success depends on aligning all the policy tools available and focusing them on improving national freight performance in a sustainable way.

"These tools include planning, management, regulation, pricing and governance.

"If these can be harnessed and integrated, then there is a real opportunity to deliver long-term, on-the-ground improvements in freight performance."

The ALC notes that freight often shares substantial sections of the National Network with a far larger passenger demand. Its submission states that accordingly, freight performance cannot be separated from overall performance of the network and how effectively passenger demand is managed.

"It is vital that a long-term and co-ordinated approach is taken to ensure freight and passenger demand and use of the network is effectively planned and managed to maximise performance and safety," says Kilgariff.

"This must include protection of key freight routes."

He urges government to provide the detail of how it will offer practical assistance in implementing a national strategy rather than high-level rhetoric.

Other main points made in the ALC submission included the establishment of a national partnership between the States and the Australian Government regarding land-use decisions; acceptance of the discussion paper’s proposal for the need to create regulatory models supporting the identification of infrastructure needs using market-based mechanisms; and the need for a single Land Transport Regulator to administer and oversee the National Land Freight Strategy.