Media Release - Trucking Industry Associations Blast HVNL Reform

Flawed Framework Deters Safety, Denies Justice and Must Be Revoked

Brisbane, QLD – 27/11/2025 – A joint submission by the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA), Victorian Transport Association (VTA) and National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) issues a stark warning regarding the proposed Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) Amendment Bill 2025.

While acknowledging the good intentions of a risk-based approach to safety, the QTA assert that the reform's new two-tiered accreditation framework is fundamentally flawed, threatening industry viability, potentially undermining legal principles, and ultimately failing to enhance road safety.

"The proposed HVNL reform, despite its stated objectives of improving safety and productivity, introduces a systemic conflict that we simply cannot accept," stated Gary Mahon, CEO of the Queensland Trucking Association. "It effectively reverses the burden of proof, denies standard legal defenses, and will actively deter operators from engaging with a system designed to improve safety."

The core concern lies in the new framework’s potential to weaponise accreditation. If a company Director hires an independent auditor to obtain accreditation, the resulting audit records could be used as evidence *against* them in prosecutions. This approach, the submission argues, fundamentally undermines the presumption of innocence and jeopardises "rights of natural justice" by creating a mechanism to apportion blame rather than genuinely enhance accountability.

"Accreditation should be an incentive for improved and consistent safety practices, not a punitive mechanism that imperils fundamental legal rights," Mahon emphasised. "If the scheme is perceived primarily as a means of imposing personal liability for executive due diligence failures, operators will rationally choose to opt out, negating any public safety benefits."

Operationally, the reforms will impose significant new burdens:

• Increased Costs: Operators face substantial new costs and time investments to develop and implement Safety Management Systems (SMS), along with higher consultancy fees and audit expenses, potentially doubling or tripling existing rates.
• Operational Risk: A new mandatory 28-day audit submission timeline places significant financial, operational, and professional risks on both auditors and operators.
• Financial Penalties: Operators choosing to withdraw from accreditation could face severe financial repercussions, including reduced payloads and restricted operating hours.
• Auditor Risk: The new framework imposes an unsustainable level of risk on both the heavy vehicle industry and independent auditors, thereby jeopardizing the very operational foundation of the accreditation scheme.

The QTA argue that the proposed framework lacks a compelling argument to justify denying legal defenses.

"This policy proposal must be revoked and reconstructed with full and meaningful participation from the industry," Mahon concluded. "Anything less risks creating a system that fails in its primary goal of improving road safety, while imposing unsustainable burdens on the heavy vehicle industry."

_ENDS

Media Contact:
Gary Mahon, CEO, Queensland Trucking Association 

M  0418 736 802