Governance and Operating Charter (Version 7, 23 June 2023)

Overview of NRSPP

The National Road Safety Partnership Program (“the NRSPP” or “the Program”) is a collaborative network established to support Australian organisations – both private and public – to implement a positive road safety culture. The program aims to improve the safety of all workers and, in so doing, help reduce the nation’s road trauma. Improving road safety is simply good business.

The National Road Safety Strategy (NRSS) makes the case that everyone needs to share responsibility, that safety is not just the domain of government. The NRSPP was established to bring together businesses, researchers and government in an industry-led collaborative network. It aims to encourage organisations to share their knowledge and experiences. The program is about reducing death and injuries without regulation or red tape.

The program provides free networking, support, practical tools and education to assist organisations in making road safety part of their organisational culture, drawing on local and international good practice.

The NRSPP helps businesses of all sizes, across all sectors, to develop and implement road safety initiatives specific to their workplace and beyond. Importantly, it brings together and promotes conversations between businesses, government and researchers to help Australian organisations develop a strong safety culture – something that is critical to running a successful business.

Charter Overview

This Charter outlines the governance framework and operating principles for the NRSPP. It is a living document and will be updated from time-to-time to meet the needs of the partnership as directed by the Steering Committee (SC).

Fundamental Principles

  1. The NRSPP is a cooperative partnership program, without legal underpinning, comprising, and facilitated (cash and in-kind) by, a range of government, industry and research partners. The program is administered by a Secretariat that is nominated by the SC where it is housed.
  2. The NRSPP is jointly overseen by the SC, comprising industry and funding partners, and by the Governance Board (GB). The SC industry representatives have responsibility for the overall direction and strategic positioning of the program and the GB has responsibility for governance. (Specific accountabilities and composition for each are described below)
  3. The program is represented by an Independent Chair who chairs both the SC and GB, and who is appointed by a panel of three representatives from the GB and three representatives from the SC.
  4. The GB comprises representatives of the Core Funders.
  5. Program Partners (PP) are all organisations that make a commitment to improve workplace road safety within their organisation, share their road safety knowledge and its application through the NRSPP. An “Agreement of Intention” is established with all PP to define commitments, actions and expected outcomes, including championing the NRSPP.
  6. Working Groups (including any Sector Forums) exist to progress prioritised areas of risk or areas of engagement. The SC is accountable for the establishment of any Working Group or Sector Forum and provides final clearance of major outputs from all Working Groups.
  7. Working Groups and the Utilities Forum are chaired by an SC appointed representative or the NRSPP Program Manager if needed. One person may chair more than one group.
  8. The Host of the NRSPP Secretariat is chosen by the GB. The Host has a seat on the SC and only has a seat on the GB if it is a funder of the program – otherwise they may only attend as a guest. The Host provides a single contact point as its representative to act as the liaison between the program and the Host.
  9. Commercial products from third parties will not be endorsed by the NRSPP; organisations may share with each other as appropriate
  10. NRSPP is committed to full compliance with competition laws, and the enforcement of competition laws against those third parties who act in an anti-competitive manner as part of the program and any it’s related activities. To support this all meetings which NRSPP organised will include:“The meeting is requested to remember the purpose for which it is convened and to observe Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) guidance on industry gatherings. To that end partners should note that NRSPP and the participants of this meeting must not contravene the requirements of the Competition and Consumer Act (formerly known as the Trade Practices Act). Partners should also note that these proceedings may deal with normal business, and policies affecting the industry, but may not deal with, in particular, practices relating to either the fixing, controlling or maintaining of prices or the anti-competitive use of market power.”

Download the full charter below.