In October’s edition of the BIC Bulletin, we introduce and welcome our new Councillors and showcase our latest Government submissions. We share our boardroom lunches with the Hon Tony Burke MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister of Arts and the Hon Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Local Government. We look at ODIN Pass and what it means for conference delegates, and we provide members insights into the Launch of the Centre for Connected and Automated Transport (CCAT).
Bus Industry
Confederation (BIC) Council Elections
We recently held the Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) Council elections. The BIC council is responsible for determining the strategic direction of the confederation and amplifying the advocacy voice of the Secretariat. Nominations for council positions (other than state association representatives) closed on 14 October 2022. A ballot was required for the Associated Service Providers (ASP) Councillors after five nominations were received for two positions.
The new council members take up their positions at the upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) where the BIC Chair and Vice Chair will be determined. The AGM and November Council meeting will be held immediately before the 2022 BIC National Conference Welcome Reception, at the Sofitel Brisbane
Central on Sunday 13 November 2022.
We would like to thank our outgoing Councillors for their work and contributions, welcome back ongoing Councillors and give a warm welcome to our new Councillors.
The 2023 Council members are:
- Tony Hopkins, Rolf Mitchell and Wayne Patch – Operator Group
- Julian Gurney and Mitch Peden – Chassis Suppliers Group
- Yuri Tessari and Desmond Armstrong – Body Suppliers Group
- Anthony O’Donnell and Tony La Rocca – Associated Service Providers Group
- John King and Joe Oliveri – New South Wales (NSW)
- Michael Baulch and Adam Pulitano – Queensland (QLD)
- Stephen Lucas – South Australia (SA)
- Ben Doolan – Western Australia (WA)
In addition, our industrial relations arm the Australian Public Transport Industrial Association (APTIA) has a new governing Council. Congratulations to Tony
Hopkins and John King for your election as Chair and Vice Chair respectively. A big congratulations to the other members of the APTIA Council, Ben Doolan, Michael Baulch, Adam Pulitano, Stephen Lucas, Sam Lucas, Anthony D’Apuzzo, Rolf Mitchell, Carmel Farrugia, Leanne Griffiths, Shane Dewsbery, Robert Wright. We look forward to working with you as the industry navigates changes to the industrial relations landscape.
A special thanks to our outgoing APTIA councillors Dennis Sutton, Wayne Patch, Steve Scott and Nikki Garbett for their service and contributions.
Policy, Advocacy and Technical Updates
Heavy Vehicle Charges Determination BIC Submission
In 2021, the Government released for consultation a Regulation Impact Statement (RIS) related to Heavy Vehicle Charges Determination. The BIC responded making several recommendations for Government to consider including suggesting a reduction in the charge from the proposed 3.5%.
Following
the consultation, Government subsequently decided to increase heavy vehicle charges by 2.75% in 2022-23 and indicated the determinations would be revisited in late 2022. Another Consultation RIS was released in September 2022. In revisiting determinations, Government was considering options for setting heavy vehicle charges from 2023-24, including multi-year charge settings and other technical recommendations outlined in the RIS.
The BIC has reviewed the three options for setting heavy vehicle charges from 2023-24 onwards and has made another submission to government advocating for a one year rather than multi year charge given the current uncertainty in the economy nationally and internationally.
The National Transport Commission recently released a Consultation Regulation Impact Statement (C-RIS) which sought feedback on proposed changes to the National Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework. To enable and support the growing freight task, and changing fleets, the proposed changes to the Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework are aiming to provide more effective, standardised training and tools for heavy vehicle driver training and licensing.
On 24 October, we put forward a submission in response to the consultation RIS. Our response raised challenges with the highly regulated
vehicle driver licensing arrangements (relevant to the scope of the Consultation RIS) and raised known challenges with Bus Driver Authorities (BDA) and safety considerations for varying jurisdictions. We agree with the policy objectives set out in the Consultation RIS, however acknowledge there is a nation-wide shortage of bus drivers.
For full details please visit our website.
National Electric Vehicle Strategy: consultation paper – BIC Submission
The Australian
Government has just released the National Electric Vehicle Strategy Consultation Paper. A quick review reveals that it includes buses and bus manufacturing.
The consultation paper was seeking views on Government’s proposed goals, objectives, and actions for the National Electric Vehicle Strategy. Feedback collected on the consultation paper will be used to shape the National Strategy, deliver the best transport technologies and enable industry to meet emission targets. The National Strategy aims to provide social, economic, business, health, and environmental benefits. We have been engaging with members of the Zero Emissions Bus Committee to capture opportunities and challenges in the transitions to transport electrification and have prepared a submission on behalf of industry.
Lunch with the Hon Catherine King
Industry leaders from across the bus and coach industry met with the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon Catherine King at an intimate boardroom lunch on 13 October to discuss all things bus and coach. The lively conversation explored the transition to zero emissions and the challenges and opportunities for industry, skills and workforce, and various reforms including the Heavy Vehicle National Law review and the reforms to the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport. The lunch was a great opportunity for the operators to example why maintaining the current school bus exemption is so important.
We
would like to thank Anthony (Tony) Hopkins, Roz Chivers, Julian Gurney, Jeff Wilson, Jonathan Myers, Thiago Deiro, Alex Wang, Warren Young, Neil Wang, Sean O’Neill, Campbell Christian, Andrew Cornwall, Stephen Lucas and Nicholas Beaver for joining the Minister at the lunch.
Lunch with the Hon Tony Burke
During October, we had the opportunity, along with colleagues from other associations and businesses, to have lunch with the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister of Arts, the Hon Tony Burke MP.
We engaged Minister Burke on key areas of interest in the proposed industrial relations reforms. All present displayed a keen interest in
multi-enterprise bargaining and what that would mean for business. We also discussed potential changes to casual conditions, highlighting the challenges this would present where there are ‘seasonal’ employees such as school bus drivers. We look forward to reviewing and providing feedback on the Fair Work Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022 which was introduced to Parliament this week.
Other News in Government
Launch of the Centre for Connected and Automated Transport (CCAT)
On Thursday 27 October, we attended the launch of the Centre for Connected and Automated Transport (CCAT). The CCAT has appointed Rahila David as its inaugural Executive Director and aims to move Australia and New Zealand safety and successfully into the era of connected and automated transport.
CCAT is a hub through which government, industry, academia, and community bodies with a common interest in facilitating Australasia’s
transition to connected and automated transport can work together to make this happen.
CCAT will be focusing primarily on the application of autonomous and connected technology to transport rather than the development of the technology itself. Its mission is to bring together Government and industry in a new partnership to focus on how the infrastructure that is being planned, built and maintained will be able to enable a connected and automated future.
Events
Bus Industry Confederation 2022 National Conference
The Bus Industry Confederation’s National Conference Moving People – Navigating Change, is only 10 days away!
The bus and coach industry will gather for the Conference at the Sofitel Brisbane Central, QLD, from Sunday 13 November to Wednesday 16 November 2022.
Don’t forget to register, registrations close 7 November!
f you would like to find out more about the 2022 BIC National
Conference, conference accommodation or read about other BIC news and events, please visit our website. To benefit from discounted event registration fees Become a BIC member today.
ODIN PASS – Mobility as a Service
In partnership with the Department of Transport and Main Roads, we are excited to announce we are offering an exclusive opportunity to conference delegates to experience Mobility as a Service (MaaS) during the BIC’s National Conference.
ODIN PASS, Australia’s largest MaaS research trial being delivered by TMR, The University of Queensland and supported by iMOVE CRC, is being offered to delegates attending the Moving People National Conference in Brisbane (13 – 16 November 2022). Delegates have the unique opportunity to use ODIN PASS to experience a MaaS solution for travel across
South East Queensland.
For more information, please visit https://odinpass.com.au/bic2022/
Everybody Out – APTIA
This edition of APTIA’s Everybody’s Out looks at the industry’s Budget outlook and Industrial Relations, the Fair Work Amendment (Paid family and Domestic Violence Leave) Act 2022, the Fair Work Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022, and delves into what APTIA is advocating for.
Everybody Out is available now on the APTIA website.
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