Bluesky 07
Senior Member
Update 22Aug18: Appears this was fake news, though from a real news outlet. See government statement below. I regret that anyone's time was wasted reading the untrue story.
==
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Statement on the use of trailers in Queensland
The Palaszczuk Government has made no changes to trailer towing rules in Queensland.
These trailer towing rule changes are set by the Federal Government.
The federal changes will not come into effect next month in Queensland.
I will be raising all issues presented to me by stakeholders with my federal colleagues.
Safety is of course our highest priority, but the Palaszczuk Government will absolutely reject any changes that unnecessarily disadvantage Queensland drivers or our wider state economy.
==
Update 21Aug18: Some posters on the Australian FB page I follow say this could be over-hyped tabloid-style reporting designed to rile people up. I'll keep watching it to see whether these rules go into effect.
==
Wow...imagine the government getting their noses so far into your business that they’re forbidding mods. ��
I couldn’t get a link to the newspaper’s site to work so I cut & pasted the article text from FB. Use the link at the end to see the article there along with an infographic.
Note: “caravan” is their word for trailer and QLD is Queensland, the state in which Brisbane is located.
4WD towing laws to be toughened by QLD government
Peter Gleeson, The Courier-Mail
"TOUGH new laws to be introduced by the Palaszczuk Government will stop upgrades to 4WD vehicles to allow them to tow larger caravans, boats, horse floats and work toolbox trailers. The new laws mean any Queensland driver wanting to buy a caravan will probably need to buy a new vehicle as well.
Under the proposed new codes, to come into effect in two weeks, the towing capacity of 4WD vehicles will not be able to be upgraded after purchase.
Queenslanders who need an increased carrying or towing capacity will be forced to buy large, powerful, expensive and fuel-inefficient imported utes and trucks.
The upgrades – such as improved suspension and shock absorbers – provide a more stable, safer ride and quicker stopping, while increasing towing capacity.
The weight of accessories such as water tanks, extended fuel tanks, bull bars and winches force many vehicles over their legal weight limit, which also makes upgrades necessary.
Vehicles operated in excess of their legal carrying capacity are declared unsafe and are not covered by insurance.
The ban will mean that many caravaners will be lucky to fit two people and a full load of fuel into their vehicles before they are over the legal towing limit.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey, despite repeated requests, has not told peak industry bodies why the Government is proceeding with the new laws.
The vehicles most affected include the most popular 4WDs on the market, including the Toyota LandCruiser, Toyota Hilux, Nissan Patrol, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu D Max."
" The new laws will affect up to a million 4WD drivers and 200,000 “grey nomads’’. Queensland is home to eight of the top 10 caravan ownership postcodes in Australia, at Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Toowoomba, Mackay, Gympie, Gladstone, Maryborough and the Sunshine Coast.
Caravan industry bosses say it’s the most nonsensical legislation they have ever seen. NSW and Victorian drivers will be able to tow caravans in Queensland without being subjected to the same laws as Queenslanders.
The new code will prevent the same modifications undertaken to meet specifications required by Queensland’s police and the State Emergency Services.
Australian Caravan Club treasurer Graeme Tree yesterday said the ban meant any Queensland driver wanting to buy a caravan would probably need to buy a new vehicle as well.
“If this was about safety, it would apply to all vehicles on the road,” Mr Tree said.
“But these are modifications that are fitted to Queensland police, emergency services, fire and parks vehicles to increase safety in towing.
“They are already on thousands of private vehicles in Queensland and are perfectly legal in other states.
“These are upgrades that will still be allowed to be fitted here in Queensland to new vehicles on the showroom floor. But once it’s on the road, it’s banned. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Mr Tree said the proposed changes to Vehicle Codes LS11 and LS15 would decrease safety on Queensland roads and unwittingly put drivers of 4WDs in breach of their insurance.
“Modifications to most 4WD vehicles are essential for legal towing, so from September 4, most Queenslanders buying a caravan will also need to buy a new vehicle,” he said.
“It is inconceivable that Queensland would stop people improving the safety of their towing vehicle when the modifications are allowed under federal laws and before registration in Queensland.” "
Link
==
Minister for Transport and Main Roads
The Honourable Mark Bailey
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Statement on the use of trailers in Queensland
The Palaszczuk Government has made no changes to trailer towing rules in Queensland.
These trailer towing rule changes are set by the Federal Government.
The federal changes will not come into effect next month in Queensland.
I will be raising all issues presented to me by stakeholders with my federal colleagues.
Safety is of course our highest priority, but the Palaszczuk Government will absolutely reject any changes that unnecessarily disadvantage Queensland drivers or our wider state economy.
==
Update 21Aug18: Some posters on the Australian FB page I follow say this could be over-hyped tabloid-style reporting designed to rile people up. I'll keep watching it to see whether these rules go into effect.
==
Wow...imagine the government getting their noses so far into your business that they’re forbidding mods. ��
I couldn’t get a link to the newspaper’s site to work so I cut & pasted the article text from FB. Use the link at the end to see the article there along with an infographic.
Note: “caravan” is their word for trailer and QLD is Queensland, the state in which Brisbane is located.
4WD towing laws to be toughened by QLD government
Peter Gleeson, The Courier-Mail
"TOUGH new laws to be introduced by the Palaszczuk Government will stop upgrades to 4WD vehicles to allow them to tow larger caravans, boats, horse floats and work toolbox trailers. The new laws mean any Queensland driver wanting to buy a caravan will probably need to buy a new vehicle as well.
Under the proposed new codes, to come into effect in two weeks, the towing capacity of 4WD vehicles will not be able to be upgraded after purchase.
Queenslanders who need an increased carrying or towing capacity will be forced to buy large, powerful, expensive and fuel-inefficient imported utes and trucks.
The upgrades – such as improved suspension and shock absorbers – provide a more stable, safer ride and quicker stopping, while increasing towing capacity.
The weight of accessories such as water tanks, extended fuel tanks, bull bars and winches force many vehicles over their legal weight limit, which also makes upgrades necessary.
Vehicles operated in excess of their legal carrying capacity are declared unsafe and are not covered by insurance.
The ban will mean that many caravaners will be lucky to fit two people and a full load of fuel into their vehicles before they are over the legal towing limit.
Transport Minister Mark Bailey, despite repeated requests, has not told peak industry bodies why the Government is proceeding with the new laws.
The vehicles most affected include the most popular 4WDs on the market, including the Toyota LandCruiser, Toyota Hilux, Nissan Patrol, Ford Ranger, and Isuzu D Max."
" The new laws will affect up to a million 4WD drivers and 200,000 “grey nomads’’. Queensland is home to eight of the top 10 caravan ownership postcodes in Australia, at Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Toowoomba, Mackay, Gympie, Gladstone, Maryborough and the Sunshine Coast.
Caravan industry bosses say it’s the most nonsensical legislation they have ever seen. NSW and Victorian drivers will be able to tow caravans in Queensland without being subjected to the same laws as Queenslanders.
The new code will prevent the same modifications undertaken to meet specifications required by Queensland’s police and the State Emergency Services.
Australian Caravan Club treasurer Graeme Tree yesterday said the ban meant any Queensland driver wanting to buy a caravan would probably need to buy a new vehicle as well.
“If this was about safety, it would apply to all vehicles on the road,” Mr Tree said.
“But these are modifications that are fitted to Queensland police, emergency services, fire and parks vehicles to increase safety in towing.
“They are already on thousands of private vehicles in Queensland and are perfectly legal in other states.
“These are upgrades that will still be allowed to be fitted here in Queensland to new vehicles on the showroom floor. But once it’s on the road, it’s banned. It just doesn’t make sense.”
Mr Tree said the proposed changes to Vehicle Codes LS11 and LS15 would decrease safety on Queensland roads and unwittingly put drivers of 4WDs in breach of their insurance.
“Modifications to most 4WD vehicles are essential for legal towing, so from September 4, most Queenslanders buying a caravan will also need to buy a new vehicle,” he said.
“It is inconceivable that Queensland would stop people improving the safety of their towing vehicle when the modifications are allowed under federal laws and before registration in Queensland.” "
Link
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