Chain of Responsibility federal grant

Once-off funding to support the development and delivery of Chain of Responsibility (CoR) training and education projects is now available, with $1.7 million being invested to help boost safety across the supply chain.

The funding will support businesses who use heavy vehicle transport to deliver tailored training programs focused on the CoR.

Grants will be awarded to projects aimed at educating participants on how to improve the safety of heavy vehicle transport activities.

Priority will be given to projects that focus on ‘off-road’ parties in the CoR, particularly for industries where there is a lack of existing training resources.

Additionally, preference will be given to proposals that also guide executives to use due diligence to ensure that a business discharges its primary duty.

Successful applicants will be able to access up to $300,000 of funding.

The CoR provision in the Heavy Vehicle National Law ensures all parties that work with heavy vehicles, from the business that employs a driver to the place where goods are delivered, are accountable for safety.

An executive of a business that is a party in the CoR must use due diligence to ensure that the business complies with that provision.

The funding will be administered by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR).

Submissions open on Tuesday, 11 April 2023 and close at 5pm AEST Friday, 5 May 2023.

For more information including eligibility requirements, the submission guidelines and application form visit www.nhvr.gov.au/funding-cor.

Quotes attributable to Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown:

“This funding is an exceptional opportunity for businesses to improve their safety practices.

“The Australian Government is committed to creating a safer heavy vehicle industry, and key to this an understanding from all relevant parties in the supply chain on how they influence safety.

“This grant scheme will see successful organisations access funding to provide greater training and education in primary duty responsibilities across the sector ultimately delivering safer transport and roads.

“Applicants will be assessed against a range of measures to ensure productive outcomes.

“We are focused on businesses’ capability to deliver quality training, the reach of their audience, their capacity to deliver each project, principles about the primary duty or executive due diligence duty and how each project will address a gap in existing training.

“We welcome applications that meet this criteria and will help improve compliance across the supply chain.”

Quotes attributable to NHVR Chief Executive Officer Sal Petroccitto:

“Projects under the CoR grant scheme will need to focus on ensuring the delivery of training to manage risks and hazards in transport activities as required under primary duty obligations.

“All parties in the chain have a responsibility to identify, assess and manage or eliminate risks within their transport activities. We want this funding round to deliver state of the art education across the sector.

“We look forward to seeing tangible, targeted training and education campaigns delivered through this grant.”