The Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) is the first transport industry body to speak out about the federal budget handed down this week, calling on the government to do more to support local heavy vehicle manufacturing.
In late February, the HVIA released a list of federal election priorities to all 227 federal MPs and Senators, calling for government to assist in supporting the heavy vehicle industry to address specific pressing issues such as international competitiveness, transition to zero emissions, growing the future workforce, improving freight productivity and optimising road infrastructure.
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This week’s federal budget includes plenty of initiatives across energy, manufacturing, small business and road infrastructure. While the HVIA welcomed these moves, it also reiterates that they don’t provide direct support to the transport industry that the HVIA and members called for.
“The lack of targeted measures that directly address the issues faced by our sector is disappointing and indicates that both we and the federal government have a lot more work to do,” HVIA chief executive officer Todd Hacking says.
“As such, we will continue to advocate for the needs of our industry at all levels in the lead-up to the federal election, calling for direct support as per the many practical and implementable actions listed in our election priorities.”
HVIA chief technical officer Adam Ritzinger says many of the budget announcements will help industries adjacent to heavy vehicle manufacturing, but there’s no direct actions for the sector.
“The announcements best-aligned with HVIA’s priority areas were increases to the ‘Future Made in Australia’ package, including green metals, clean technology manufacturing and low-carbon liquid fuels, as well as the separate tax incentives for hydrogen production, the expansion of funding for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation and improvements in road infrastructure,” he says.
“What we desperately need though, and what HVIA has called for, is direct support for truck and trailer manufacturers, support for the private sector to deploy battery electric charging and hydrogen refuelling stations nationwide, incentives to offset the higher cost of purchasing low-emissions trucks and the expansion of high-productivity vehicle networks.
“Without that direct support, our industry will continue to face headwinds in its efforts to decarbonise, improve efficiency and provide the equipment necessary to keep the lifeblood of Australia’s economy and society pumping.”
The HVIA’s key election and budget priority areas included assisting Australian truck and trailer manufacturers, supporting the heavy vehicle net zero transition and optimising Australia’s road infrastructure.
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