Rail/Road Rationalisation, Transport Regulation and Section 92

Abstract

This article is a comment on the findings of the commission of enquiry into the New South Wales freight transport industry, conducted during 1978 and 1979. The commission investigated a wide range of matters including road/ rail competition and rationalisation, taxes and subsidies, the performance and safety of trucking operations, and their consequences for energy usage and the environment. It found that a major obstacle to a national unified approach was the interpretation of section 92 of the constitution. The author, who was the sole commissioner of the enquiry, comments on the commission's proposals for better regulation.