❓ Minister MacTiernan refutes claims of road train permit delays for wheat farmers, highlighting inaccuracies in the National Party Leader's statements and clarifying the roles of different departments in the permit process.
AnsweredQoN 635Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD TRAINS, PERMITS FOR WHEAT FARMERS
Is the minister aware of claims by the National Party that Western Australian wheat farmers are having difficulty obtaining permits to operate road trains or long vehicles necessary to bring their harvests to market? Is there any truth to these claims? Ms MacTIERNAN
Is the minister aware of claims by the National Party that Western Australian wheat farmers are having difficulty obtaining permits to operate road trains or long vehicles necessary to bring their harvests to market? Is there any truth to these claims? Ms MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. Of course, the cartage of grain is very important in the member’s electorate, the Geraldton port being the second busiest grain port in Australia. I have been made aware of the claims by the Leader of the National Party. This is a Mad Max special, and the Leader of the Opposition has got - Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Ms MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. Of course, the cartage of grain is very important in the member’s electorate, the Geraldton port being the second busiest grain port in Australia. I have been made aware of the claims by the Leader of the National Party. This is a Mad Max special, and the Leader of the Opposition has got - Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. Of course, the cartage of grain is very important in the member’s electorate, the Geraldton port being the second busiest grain port in Australia. I have been made aware of the claims by the Leader of the National Party. This is a Mad Max special, and the Leader of the Opposition has got - Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
I have been made aware of the claims by the Leader of the National Party. This is a Mad Max special, and the Leader of the Opposition has got - Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Ms MacTIERNAN replied: I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. Of course, the cartage of grain is very important in the member’s electorate, the Geraldton port being the second busiest grain port in Australia. I have been made aware of the claims by the Leader of the National Party. This is a Mad Max special, and the Leader of the Opposition has got - Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
I thank the member for Geraldton for his question. Of course, the cartage of grain is very important in the member’s electorate, the Geraldton port being the second busiest grain port in Australia. I have been made aware of the claims by the Leader of the National Party. This is a Mad Max special, and the Leader of the Opposition has got - Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
I have been made aware of the claims by the Leader of the National Party. This is a Mad Max special, and the Leader of the Opposition has got - Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Mr Barnett: Point of order - Withdrawal of Remark Ms MacTIERNAN: I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Ms MacTIERNAN: The Leader of the National Party has erred once again, in his somewhat hysterical media statement. It creates a lot of mirth within our office when these statements are made. Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Dr Gallop: He puts out good media statements on the Liberal Party! Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
Ms MacTIERNAN: Yes, they are good. The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
The Leader of the National Party creates much mirth with his statements, but the Government is seeking to address this latest statement, because it is creating some quite worrying, misleading and inaccurate information for our farming community. It is important that it be corrected. The Leader of the National Party says that farmers are complaining about delays in processing applications for road train permits by the Department of Transport. He says there is a real backlog of applications because of staff shortages. It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
It is not surprising that people have not been able to get their road train permits assessed by the Department of Transport, because that department does not assess, and never has assessed, road train permits. I would have thought that a member of the standing of the Leader of the National Party would have some basic knowledge of road train permits, particularly given that his National Party colleagues were responsible for these permits for many years. It is true that no road train permits are being assessed by the Department of Transport. That is absolutely right - that department does not assess them, and never has. On the other hand, Main Roads is receiving up to 40 inquiries a day about permits, largely from the farming community. The vast majority of these are dealt with within one or two days of application. Occasionally, where there is a delay in local government, they may take three days. When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
When a journalist approached the office of the Leader of the National Party to ask for a case study, the case of one farmer was produced. This is a well-known case for Main Roads. This man wishes to drive a vehicle that is longer than permitted over a road that is authorised only for vehicles up to 27.5 metres in length. Consistent with the policy of the Government to disallow an expansion of the road train network, he was told that if he wished to make that application, he would have to comply with the rules limiting vehicle length to 27.5 metres. He waited three weeks to try to get approval from the local authority. The very day he made his application to Main Roads he was told that he was ineligible for that permit. There is absolutely no truth at all to the allegations made by the Leader of the Opposition that there have been any delays whatsoever in the assessment of road train permits.
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