Two months after The Land exposed the farcical situation with heavy vehicle and road restrictions hampering the movement of hay in the drought, the Federal Government has acted by axing a number of height and width restrictions on hay trucks.
The situation where hay truck driver Peter Cox was fined $330 for being 1m overlength without a permit, while moving hay, created a storm of responses, both for and against, around Australia.
It led to Sydney radio interviews on Radio 2GB for Mr Cox, calls from around Australia and, as Mr Cox says, a new focus on how farmers were struggling not only with the drought, but with how bureacracy was hampering their efforts to survive it.
Mr Cox told The Land today that the grief of being pulled up for minor breaches “had ended” after the NSW Government saw the unfairness and “revenue raising” aspect to existing heavy vehicle rules for struggling farmers. He hadn’t been pulled over since July, when his case was publicised.
Last month the NSW Government relented on some restrictions on hay truck movements. It announced a new NSW Class 3 Drought Assistance Dimension Exemption Notice that allowed eligible vehicles transporting hay to travel under notice and without a permit, including B-doubles up to 26 metres long and up to 2.83m wide on all approved roads and up to 4.6m high, on the approved 4.6m high network.
And today the Federal Government announced its reaction, and issued a new response covering all of Australia and to be administered through the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).
From midnight tonight, longer and higher loads of hay and fodder will be allowed to travel on state and national-controlled roads, Federal Nationals leader Michael McCormack said.
Heavy vehicles up to a maximum height of 4.6 metres and 2.83 metres wide will no longer require a permit to access the existing state-controlled road networks. Previously access was limited for Class 3 vehicles up to 2.6 metres wide and 4.3 metres high.
“Today’s announcement is a practical step to support the large amounts of fodder from Western Australia and Tasmania loaded and transported to drought affected areas, particularly to regional NSW,” Mr McCormack said.
“The Notice will remove the need for up to 6,000 consents a year. It is estimated farming operators will save the equivalent of up to 54,000 days per year applying and waiting for permits.”
Permits will still be required through the NHVR Portal (www.nhrv.gov.au/drought) for access to some local government roads.
For Eugowra’s Mr Cox, it’s a case of still driving week after week to get hay for his employer Glenleigh Pastoral Company, in the central-west.
It’s a weekly ritual travelling to Echuca and Boort and it didn’t look like ending anytime soon.
“The story we did,” he says, “I hope helped thousands of people because we just couldn’t go on with the way things were going. But it is still hard. To drive on some local roads I still need to get a permit from the council for local roads and that can take up to seven days to come through. We just don’t have time to wait. The situation is not fixed yet.” Glenleigh has already gone through 13,000 big square bales to feed stock so far this year.
He said he was very happy that both state and federal government had done something to relax hay truck restrictions on state and federal roads. “That is a big help,” he said. But there seemed no end to the drought and moving hay. “It’s only going to get worse,” he said.
The CEO of the Australian Trucking Association, Ben Maguire, said the existing rules for hay and fodder transport were all over the place.
“In NSW, the maximum allowed width for transporting baled or rolled hay to drought affected areas is 2.83 metres. In South Australia, it is 2.7 metres. In Queensland, it is 2.5 metres. Similarly, the maximum height allowed varies between 4.3 and 4.6 metres.
“The new rules will standardise the maximum dimensions for eligible vehicles at 2.83 metres wide and 4.6 metres high.
“The rules will remove the need for up to 6,000 consents per year and will save trucking operators and farmers the equivalent of 54,000 days per year applying and waiting for permits.
“It’s a great outcome that will make it easier for our members to deliver hay and fodder to Australia’s hard-pressed farmers.
“It was only possible, though, because the ATA and our member associations, and farm associations, worked closely together to pitch the case to governments for consistent rules.”
The National President of the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters’ Association, Kevin Keenan, said that removing regulatory barriers to the efficient movement of agricultural commodities by road must be a central tenet of improving Australia’s longer-term drought resilience.
“Australia is a diverse country that is highly reliant on road transport services,” Mr Keenan said.
“While the current drought circumstances in New South Wales and parts of Victoria and Queensland are at the extreme end of the spectrum, it is not unusual for there to be a mix of good and bad seasonal conditions across rural Australia.
“Today’s announcement will immediately reduce the cost of moving hay to where it is needed most while also reducing the risk of fines for carriers.
“The next step is for local governments to get on board as well, because the new notice only applies to state controlled roads,” he said.
The CEO of NatRoad, Warren Clark, said: "NatRoad is pleased with the Prime Minister’s announcement to extend the drought exemption to all states. This is a positive and necessary response to this unprecedented humanitarian emergency with the livelihoods of many Australian farmers at risk.
“In the lead-up to today’s announcement, NatRoad has strongly advocated for a harmonised heavy vehicle law across all states. We would like to thank the Government for listening. The exemption will help road transport businesses ensure that help reaches those affected by the drought when most needed.
“The steps show the government recognises the importance of the road transport industry in helping the farming community and we look forward to working with the government."
The Chief Operating Officer of the NSW Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers’ Association, Bec Coleman, said “Today’s announcement will significantly improve access impediments, and remove unnecessary enforcement, that prevented the efficient and productive movement of supplies and stock to drought affected communities across NSW.
“The common-sense decision by the Australian Government will safeguard the future of many rural businesses across NSW and is welcomed by the LBRCA”, she said.
John Ellicott
journalist and author
journalist and author
