The Service Managers held their first meeting for 2008 on Wednesday 5th March. The Council welcomed new Chairman, Mr Rick Lees from Gibbs Truck and Trailer Parts.

The main items on the agenda were the Queensland Transport Vehicle Repair Register Draft Policy Proposal, amendments to the Apprentice of the Year Nomination forms and a report on the future of ADR 65 Speed Limiting.

The meeting began in earnest with Mr Lees referring Council to the Queensland Transport Vehicle Repair Register Draft Policy Proposal and requested Mr Brett Wright to report on this. Mr Wright, having been the CVIAQ representative at the original stakeholder meeting held in 2006 with Queensland Transport (QT) and the Queensland Police Service (QPS), highlighted sections of the proposal that were of most concern to Council.

The main issues discussed were:
  The keeping of all records for every repair or service being too onerous on vehicle repairers.
  Doubt in the proposal on what constituted a repair register.
  Legal requirements forbidding repairers to ask for identification from the owner of the vehicle or from the person delivering the vehicle for repair wouldn’t allow the repairer to fully comply with the proposed legislation.

Mr Wright advised Council that they would be briefed on future developments.

Mr Lees referred Council to the Apprentice of the Year Information Sheet and Nomination form and requested Mr Paul Woodland to report on the proposed changes to these forms.

Mr Woodland reported that the amendments are:
   The addition of an eligibility criteria sheet which employers must complete and include with the apprentice’s nomination.
   The inclusion of apprentices from member companies or branches of member companies who are based in Queensland regions. Interviews would take place via a video conference link if possible.
   The change of the eligibility rule limiting one nominee per trade calling to a maximum of two nominees per trade calling.

The Council were in agreement with the amendments with Mr Woodland agreeing to update the information flyer and nomination form and have these available for employers to access by April 2008.

Mr Wright reported that a communiqué from the Australian Transport Commission (ATC) made mention of an endorsement by Australian, State and Territory Transport Ministers on a national study into the introduction of digital tachographs and other electronic monitoring devices in heavy vehicles to better ensure compliance with national laws on fatigue, speeding, driving hours and safe driving. The success of the study may render ADR 65 redundant.

Mr Wright advised that he would advise the Council further following the next Commonwealth DoT Technical Liaison Group meeting in May.