With growing challenges in freight and supply chain measures, the Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council recently endorsed both the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy and the National Action Plan back in August of this year. The strategy and the action plan has set out a clear agenda for all freight types or modes of transportation the nation over for the next twenty years in mind.
The National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy is committed to addressing four areas that are considered critical. These include rolling out smarter and targeted infrastructure, enabling improved efficiencies in supply chain, better planning, coordination and regulation, as well as better freight location and performance data. These are considered the critical areas that will be addressed in the first 5 years of the 20-year action plan.
With volumes expected to grow by 35% by 2040 (which equates to 270 billons tonnes), the total volume that Australia will need to prepare for would be over 1000 billion tonnes in total volume. Thus to ensure the nation is on point, the following exerts are from the National Action Plan which have been devised to address outcomes that the council hopes to achieve.
Smarter and Targeted Infrastructure
- Ensure that domestic and international supply chains are serviced by resilient and efficient key freight corridors, precincts and assets
- Provide regional and remote Australia with infrastructure capable of connecting regions and communities to major gateways, through land links, regional airports or coastal shipping
- Identify and support digital infrastructure and communication services necessary for improved and innovative supply chains
- Advance heavy vehicle road reform to facilitate efficient investment in infrastructure
Enabling Improved Supply Chain Efficiency
- Adopt and implement national and global standards, and support common platforms, to reduce transaction costs and support interoperability along supply chains
- Promote training and re-skilling of industry and government workforces appropriate to current and future needs
- Facilitate new and innovative technologies that improve freight outcomes and understand the deployment, skills and workforce requirements for operators and infrastructure
- Build community acceptance of freight operations
Better Planning, Coordination And Regulation
- Ensure freight demand is integrated in transport and land use planning across and between jurisdiction boundaries and freight modes
- Strengthen the consideration of freight in all other government planning and decision-making
- Investigate policy, planning and operational solutions to improve freight access and movement along domestic and international supply chains
- Improve regulation to be more outcomes focused and risk-based to support innovation and reduce regulatory burden whilst maintaining safety, security and sustainability
Better Freight Location and Performance Data
- Develop an evidence-based view of key freight flows and supply chains and their comparative performance to drive improved government and industry decision-making, investment and operations
Read the full National Freight and Supply Chain : National Action Plan Document courtesy of the Transport and Infrastructure Council.