Other recent changes to legislation and regulations
This page provides details of recent amendments to Acts of Parliament and regulations in relation to transport.
Information on this page
- Port Licence Fee legislation passed
- Hoon boating scheme
- Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Safety) Act 2011
Port Licence Fee legislation passed
The Port Management Amendment (Port of Melbourne Corporation Licence Fee) Act 2012 was passed by Parliament on 28 February 2012. The Act replaces the previously proposed Freight Infrastructure Charge (FIC) with a simpler and more efficient port licence fee.
The Act imposes an annual licence fee on the Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC) to be paid into the Consolidated Fund and is an important State revenue initiative.
Specifically, the Act:
- imposes the licence fee on the PoMC
- sets the fee at $75 million in the first year
- indexes the fee to increase annually in line with the consumer price index
- levies the fee on the PoMC by quarterly instalments
- requires the Minister to publish an annual notice of the licence fee in the Government Gazette
- applies the fee annually from 1 July 2012.
The Act will commence on 1 July 2012.
Hoon boating scheme
The Transport Legislation (Hoon Boating and Other Amendments) Act 2009 introduced a hoon boating scheme.
Australia's first, the scheme was modelled on the successful hoon driving laws.
The scheme provides additional powers and tougher sanctions to assist water police and waterway managers in dealing with the growing incidence of dangerous anti-social behaviour on the water.
The scheme was introduced in two stages.
From 1 September 2010, police were empowered to place an embargo notice on a vessel which had been operated in a dangerous manner, banning it from being on the water for up to 48 hours, and to order a person involved in operating a vessel dangerously off the water for up to 24 hours.
From 1 September 2011, police were empowered to seize vessels, impound vessels and seek forfeiture of vessels.
Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Safety) Act 2011
The Transport Legislation Amendment (Public Transport Safety) Act 2011 introduced a range of practical measures aimed at improving public transport safety outcomes.
The Act:
- aligns safety management requirements for rail operators with national provisions;
- clarifies the application of rail safety duties during loading and unloading operations;
- makes two amendments to the Bus Safety Act to reduce any unintended regulatory burden on bus operators;
- ensures that drivers of minibuses operated ‘for profit’ are required to be accredited;
- introduces a dispute resolution mechanism where transport safety regulators with shared jurisdiction have a difference of opinion;
- tightens government scrutiny and oversight of the management of authorised officers by public transport operators (in response to recommendations by the Victorian Ombudsman).