Queensland Parliament has passed the Heavy Vehicle National Law Amendment Bill following its introduction on 26 August 2025, marking a major step in the long running review of Australia’s core heavy vehicle regulatory framework.
The amendments are expected to take effect from mid-2026.
The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) is administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) and applies in New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
The review began in 2018 and has involved several rounds of consultation, inquiries and stakeholder engagement.
In its submission to the parliamentary inquiry, the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) said it remained disappointed with the overall ambition and the extended length of the review process.
The association said the review stalled until February 2022 when former NSW Roads and Maritime Services CEO, Ken Kanofski, was appointed to undertake further consultation. Ministers agreed to implement his recommendations later that year.
The ATA said the initial review involved extensive industry engagement which reached more than 188,000 people and generated 119 pieces of feedback. A follow-up fatigue consultation in 2020 attracted 432 survey responses. While the association described the Kanofski report as a compromise, it recommended the bill be passed on the basis that it can be regularly reviewed and improved under the law’s provisions.
The bill, according to the ATA, does introduce several positive changes.
These include shifting technical content into regulations and standards to better accommodate technology updates, requiring documented safety management systems for National Heavy Vehicle Accreditation Scheme (NHVAS) businesses, simplifying fatigue compliance and reducing 21 penalties including minor fatigue and work diary offences.
The National Road Transport Association, NatRoad, has also welcomed the passage of the bill but cautioned that operators will require detailed clarity ahead of the reforms taking effect in July 2026.
NatRoad CEO, Warren Clark, said the measures represent meaningful progress although the key regulatory instruments covering fatigue, mass, maintenance, standards and supporting guidelines are still being developed.
Clark said operators are already seeking certainty so they can prepare for changes that will include more flexible fatigue arrangements with risk based guidance, updated accreditation and audit requirements, improved chain of responsibility alignment and greater use of digital record-keeping systems. A staged transition through 2026 and 2027 is planned.
NatRoad said it will advocate for nationally consistent and practical rules and will deliver a support program for members throughout 2026. This will include guides, compliance checklists, tools and phone support. Member feedback will continue to inform NatRoad’s engagement with the NHVR , the National Transport Commission (NTC) and state and territory governments.
