Following determination by the NSW Minister for Transport in July 2009 that consultation be undertaken to examine and review the July 2009 vsn of VSI 50, a Working Party was established which included representatives from the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association/4WD Industry Council; the 4WD NSW/ACT (Representing Users Groups); MTA NSW and NSW RTA.
The Working Party met a number of times during the last 18 months and through a series of ‘final drafts’ has arrived at a Draft Document dated September 2010. In September, AAAA/4WD Council representatives gave conditional agreement to that document. Conditions included that 4WD NSW/ACT concerns regarding possible registration restrictions on vehicles with suspension lifts +50mm to +150mm be settled, with Industry representatives supporting 4WD NSW/ACT position that no restrictions should apply once vehicles were required to be engineer certified when over +50mm vehicle lift.
In late October, amid considerable Internet forum discussion (some ill-informed and misleading), Industry representatives were invited to meet with the NSW Minister for Transport and RTA officials to discuss the content of the VSI 50 Document to which Industry had agreed. That meeting was cancelled at short notice and the Minister for Roads has asked that the VSI 50 policy we have agreed to date be referred to the appropriate national body with the intent of achieving an agreed national position on raising and lowering vehicles. That body is expected to be the Federal Standing Committee on Transport.
The AAAA/4WD Industry Council are extremely concerned at this interruption to the Working Party process whilst the review is still incomplete. We are pursuing the matter with NSW Government to understand reasons for this action by the Minister, in the light of the very progressive nature of the working Party process.
The AAAA/4WD Council strongly support regulatory activities promoting safer vehicles; however we will stand against unreasonable restrictions, particularly where there has been a lack of practical consultation with stakeholders.
Until this issue is resolved, the NSW requirements for vehicle height modifications currently remain as they were, before the announcement of VSI 50 in July 2009.
For mor information visit http://www.aaaa.com.au/4wd/
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