I contribute to debate on the Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2025. Few things test a driver's patience quite like the sight of a roadworks sign that seems to guard an empty stretch of road. Drivers ease off the accelerator, crawl through the reduced speed zone and find themselves inching past idle machinery, scattered cones and silence where the hum of roadworks would otherwise be. Perhaps a few expletives might be uttered. I have felt that very frustration myself, and I am sure many of my constituents and members of this House have as well. That is why I am pleased to speak in support of the bill.
The bill makes miscellaneous amendments to various Acts related to the Transport portfolio and makes consequential amendments to associated legislative instruments. Most excitingly, the bill includes provisions to implement the Government's commitment to removing roadworks speed limits outside construction hours where it is safe to do so. It does this by including amendments to the Roads Act 1993 to require all road authorities, such as Transport for NSW, local councils and contractors, to install, maintain and remove roadworks speed limit signs in compliance with a standard to be published by Transport for NSW in theGovernment Gazette. There is an existing technical manual governing temporary traffic management at construction and maintenance sites titledTraffic Control at Work Sites: Technical Manual. This document outlines the core principles for when it is appropriate to implement a roadworks speed limit, along with detailed technical guidance for those managing roadworks operations.
The manual is currently being updated into a formal standard, which will become the official standard under the new provisions of the Roads Act 1993. Before it is finalised, consultation will take place with key stakeholders including councils, SafeWork NSW and the NSW Police Force. Feedback gathered during this process will inform the final requirements of the new standard. Any safety concerns related to speed limit changes will continue to be addressed through the established risk assessment process that forms part of planning for traffic management at roadworks. The Government's election promise will take effect following the launch of the new standard. The new standard will provide that roadworks signs can only be removed in circumstances where it is safe to do so. The amendment is an example of how a simple change can make a world of difference for our broader community.
I turn briefly to other aspects of the bill. Firstly, the bill removes the requirement for the Attorney General to grant concurrence under the Road Transport Act 2013 for the use of speed measuring devices. This will eliminate an unnecessary administrative step and streamline approvals for technologies used to monitor vehicle speeds. This is an efficiency that supports both enforcement and safety outcomes. The bill also includes amendments to assist rail authorities in undertaking essential maintenance and safety work. Those changes clarify the circumstances under which rail authorities can access adjoining land to carry out critical activities related to rail infrastructure and buildings, ensuring smoother delivery of rail operations while maintaining public safety. The bill dissolves the Residual Transport Corporation and the State Rail Authority Residual Holding Corporation—two non‑operational entities that have long served their purpose. Their dissolution removes redundant structures, and simplifies the statutory framework governing our transport agencies. Amendments to the Marine Pollution Act 2012 will bring New South Wales in line with Commonwealth legislation and international conventions regarding garbage record books for vessels, reinforcing our commitment to cleaner oceans and environmental responsibility.
The bill also amends the Ports and Maritime Administration Act 1995 and the State Owned Corporations Act 1989 to formally rename the Newcastle Port Corporation as the Port Authority of New South Wales. Doing so reflects the authority's current trading name and acknowledges its statewide operations. Additional amendments to the Ports and Maritime Administration Act will support the implementation of recommendations from the independent review of the Act and the Port Botany Landside Improvement Strategy, ensuring our ports remain efficient, safe and well governed. Finally, the bill makes improvements to the Community Improvement Districts Act 2025 by clarifying voting entitlements for business and commercial landowners, confirming that government land that is opted into a district will be treated as business land and removing outdated references to Commonwealth land.
The bill also updates the Transport Administration Act 1998 to confirm that the Transport secretary may temporarily assign senior executives to higher band roles within the Transport service, providing flexibility and continuity in leadership where it is most needed. The bill does something every driver has secretly wished for: It lets common sense take the wheel. By ensuring roadworks speed limits only apply when work is actually underway, it restores a bit of sanity to our daily drives. No more crawling through kilometres of empty cones and silent machinery long after the crew has gone home. It is a small reform but one that will be felt every single day by every single motorist. It is about respect for people's time, traffic flow and the idea that safety rules should make sense. I look forward to the day I can roll past an empty worksite at full speed, guilt free, grinning and grateful to the Minister and the Government for acting with common sense. I commend the bill to the House.
