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Road Transport

With population centers separated by vast distances, road transport infrastructure is critical to sustaining Australian communities, growing a strong economy and improving international competitiveness. The National Land Transport Network is a single integrated network of land transport linkages of strategic national importance, which is funded by Federal, State and Territory Governments. The National Network is based on national and inter-regional transport corridors including connections through urban areas, links to ports and airports, rail, road and intermodal connections that together are of critical importance to national and regional economic growth development and connectivity.

In 1974, the government decided to assume full responsibility for the funding of national roads. Its road policy was enshrined in three acts: the National Roads Act 1974, the Roads Grant Act 1974, and the Transport Planning and Research Act 1974. The national highway system comprised the major links between the mainland state and territory capital cities, as well as the Brisbane to Cairns and Hobart to Burnie links. The Sydney-Brisbane link was via the New England Highway and, between Sydney and Melbourne, via the Hume Highway. The original national highway was about 16,000 km long. It continues to remain a vital link in the road transport network.

Under Australia's Constitution, the States and Territories are largely responsible for regulating road transport. Each State and Territory has traditionally made its own laws in such areas as road rules, vehicle standards and driver licensing. Over time the differences between these laws became more of an impediment to movement between jurisdictions, especially for heavy vehicle freight transport. The National Road Transport Commission (NRTC) was established in 1991 to develop uniform arrangements for vehicle regulation and operation, and consistent charging principles for vehicle registration.

From the inception of the former National Highway System to the Bicentenary in 1988, more than $5,100 million had been spent on national highway projects in Australia. For the first time, the capital cities and major towns were linked by a dedicated network of sealed highways. Achievements had included almost 4,000 km of new road construction; extensions of four-lane carriageways to 1,156 km; and the construction of town bypasses and new alignments. On 16 December 1989, the last section of the national highway, between Port Hedland and Halls Creek, was sealed.

At a series of meetings in 1990 and 1991 the Australian Government negotiated a division of responsibilities for road funding. The Australian Government agreed to take full responsibility for funding the national highways, states and territories took responsibility for arterial roads, while local governments retained responsibility for local roads. The Australian Government also agreed that the national highway would be extended to include the Melbourne-Brisbane and Sydney-Adelaide interstate highways and urban road links through Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, connecting to the national highway. This extended the national highway to 18,500 km.

In May 2002, the Australian Government announced its plan to create a new national land transport policy to be known as AusLink. This new policy would replace the system of federal funding for transport infrastructure negotiated in 1991. Under AusLink, separate Commonwealth funding for road and rail programmes would be pooled into a single, flexible program.

On 15 January 2004, the National Transport Commission (NTC) replaced the NRTC with a broader charter that continues the role of reforming road transport regulation and operations and also undertakes reform of rail and intermodal regulation and operations. The road transport reform process is achieving a greater national consistency in road transport law. Key initiatives include nationally uniform heavy vehicle registration charges, national arrangements for the carriage of dangerous goods, a national heavy vehicle registration scheme and national road rules.