Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Bill 2025

Overview

This bill amends the Heavy Vehicle National Law to improve road safety and reduce regulatory complexity for the heavy vehicle industry. It introduces a new requirement for all heavy vehicle drivers to be fit to drive, strengthens operator accreditation through mandatory Safety Management Systems, and adjusts penalties to be more proportionate while increasing deterrence for serious offences.

Who it affects

Heavy vehicle drivers face an expanded fitness-to-drive duty and significantly higher penalties for serious breaches, while transport operators must implement safety management systems to maintain accreditation. All road users benefit from stronger safety requirements.

Key changes

• All heavy vehicle drivers (over 4.5 tonnes) must now be fit to drive, not just free from fatigue — with the maximum penalty increasing from $6,000 to $20,000
• Transport operators must implement a Safety Management System to gain or keep accreditation, replacing the old BFM and AFM schemes
• Authorised officers can now issue formal cautions for minor breaches and pursue prosecutions alongside improvement notices for serious ones
• The Regulator takes over responsibility for developing codes of practice, with 42-day public consultation required
• Board membership expands to 5-7 members with 10-year term limits and conflict of interest requirements
• Penalties for falsifying work records, transport documents and other serious offences double from $10,000 to $20,000, while minor work diary penalties decrease