Annual Report - Australian Automobile Association

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AAA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORTPublic PolicyAdvocacy work on behalf of our memberassociations has to be based on qualityresearch and a long-term commitment toensure that our views are well understood bypolitical parties and their representatives.For example, the AAA has continued toargue, for some time, that the current fueltax regime is unfair, inappropriate andinequitable. Many of the components of thefuel tax system have been tinkered with formany years resulting in a system which iscertainly broken and needs fixing.The Federal Government recognised thatthe current system and their recentmodifications to it were extremely unpopularand, as a result, made some major changesthis year to ensure there were no GSTimpacts and also removed the inequitableindexation of fuel excise. The AAA waspleased that the Government had listened tomotorists’ concerns. In addition, theGovernment announced a review of the fueltax system. An inquiry has been announcedand AAA will make a comprehensivesubmission to ensure that the inquiry doeshave access to the best information toensure a fairer tax system can result.With a federal election due towards the endof this year, it will be necessary for us towork hard to educate the incomingmembers of parliament about our concernsand the opportunities that a reform of fueltax would provide for the nation.We recognise that the Federal Governmentdid understand the need for fundamentalreform rather than a short term band-aidapproach. This reform will be a vitalchallenge for the new government.The Australian Infrastructure Report Card for2001, released toward the end of the year,highlighted the continuing poor state ofmany of Australia’s roads and the urgentneed for better national planning andmanagement.The Report Card, prepared by 22 alliancemembers representing major independentinfrastructure users and providers (includingthe AAA), provided the following ratingfor roads:• National roads – "C"• State roads – "C-"• Local roads – "D"The Federal Government’s announcement ofthe $1.6 billion ‘Roads to Recovery Program’is an early step to address this problem.AAA and its constituent clubs have beencalling for a national roads corporation forsome time to improve the planning andmanagement process. In particular, wewould like to see governments cooperatingwith an integrated 10-year planning processtied to a 5-year works program.The Report Card also highlighted thesubstantial safety and environmentalimprovements that could be made throughbetter roads. The Bureau of TransportEconomics reported that 40 percent of fuel5
usage in our major cities is caused bycongestion. The most effective way toovercome congestion, and therefore fueluse, is through improved road infrastructureand traffic management. Fast tracking ofconstruction of roads, such as the WesternSydney Orbital and the Scoresby Freeway inMelbourne, would reduce congestionsubstantially and in turn improveenvironmental outcomes.In the area of road safety, it has beenproven that additional Black Spot andgeneral road construction funding couldpotentially reduce the road toll by 450people per annum by 2010.The National Transport Council, therepresentative group of the State andCommonwealth Transport Ministers, hasagreed to a national target of reducing roadfatalities by 40 percent by the year 2010.AAA supports this target and recognisesthe many complex and difficult issues whichwill need to be addressed in achievingsuch a result.Political parties in particular, will need todevelop policies which allow for theparliaments to put in place appropriateregulations and legislation to encourageimproved safety performance. While drivers’attitudes are a key component in road safety,the quality of the road network and the safetyfeatures of the car fleet are also importantfactors which will need to be addressed.The quality of the national road network is akey interest for the AAA. The NationalHighway System is an integral part of thenation’s infrastructure and we will beestablishing a reporting system todemonstrate the status of the networkacross the nation. Safety, environment andproductivity go hand in hand with qualityinfrastructure.Member ServicesAAA provides the focal coordinating pointfor constituents in areas of common interestin relation to assisting in developingoperational synergies and enhancingmember services.The Chief Executive Officers of constituentsmet regularly during the year as did theAAA Board.A national technical support unit is beingpiloted to provide core materials to all theclubs to ensure a better national technicalinformation and training system. AAA providesthe opportunity for groups such as RoadService Managers, Cartographers, PublicPolicy specialists, technical testing staff andsenior operational managers, to meet todevelop projects which will assist them in theireveryday operational activities.Equally, the AAA Board provides anopportunity for constituents to learn ofdevelopments occurring in eachorganisation and to hear reports fromcooperatively owned ventures such as ourwholesale road assistance company Assist6
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Page 9 and 10: ACTIVITIES8AdvocacyThe main advocac
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Page 15 and 16: AAA STAFFThe members of the Secreta
Page 17 and 18: MOTORING FACTSBudgeted Commonwealth
Page 19: Total Commonwealth Government Road

Annual Report - Australian Automobile Association

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