'Expand powers to set transport rules'

Proposed changes to transport laws should include broader rule-making powers for the Government minister in charge, a parliamentary committee has recommended.

The transport and industrial relations committee yesterday issued its report on the Transport Legislation Bill, which will reorganise land transport bureaucracy.

It also increases the scope of the Maritime Safety Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority to cover the objectives for the New Zealand Transport Strategy.

The committee recommended few changes, but did consider an amendment necessary to give the minister broader rule-making powers.

"The majority considers it necessary to refer explicitly to the New Zealand Transport Strategy objectives in specifying the rule-making powers, to avoid any doubt when the minister makes rules relating to civil aviation, land transport and maritime systems," the report says.

The committee also believed it was necessary to link the minister's objectives with their functions to make it clear that they were required to be undertaken in a way that contributed to the objectives of the strategy.

Another recommendation was that the bill be amended to ensure the minister promoted safety in civil aviation, land transport and maritime transport.

National and New Zealand First each lodged minority reports.

National's main worry was that the legislation removed "safety at reasonable cost" provisions.

"National has serious concerns that the safety at reasonable cost concept has been significantly diluted," it said.

"The new and undefined concept of 'sustainability' does not provide the longstanding economic discipline that was in force through the 'safety at reasonable cost' provisions."

NZ First was also concerned about safety at reasonable cost.

"If the actual words have to be removed they should, or some such words, be incorporated into the definition of 'sustainability'," it said.

"It is our view that unless safety expenditure is subjected to 'reasonableness', there is the potential for unreasonableness becoming the yardstick.

"This could well result in differing and distorted attitudes to safety emerging at considerable and unnecessary expense."

The next step for the bill is its second reading, when Parliament debates the report.

- NZPA