International Transport Forum
Australia is a founding member of the newly established International Transport Forum, part of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development family of organisations. The aim of the forum is to foster a deeper understanding among policy makers of the role of transport as a key to economic growth and to the pursuit of environmental and social sustainability.
The International Transport Forum's activities will centre on its annual meeting, where ministers will meet with key figures from industry and the wider community to debate on a single topic of world-wide strategic importance. The theme for the first Forum in May 2008 is "Transport and Energy: the Challenge of Climate Change. The venue for this and future forums is Leipzig, Germany.
Australia is co-chairing with the United Kingdom the second forum, to be held 28 - 30 May 2009 on "Transport, Infrastructure and Globalisation".
The International Transport Forum has been created by transforming the European Conference of Ministers of Transport (ECMT) into a global body with new mandates and broader scope. As a former associate member of the ECMT, Australia is a founding member of the International Transport Forum. More information about the International Transport Forum and its activities is available at www.internationaltransportforum.org.
The International Transport Forum is supported by the Joint Transport Research Centre of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development and the International Transport Forum. The centre, of which Australia is also a member, has a mandate to undertake cooperative transport research programs which contribute to the structural improvement of member economics.
Within the department the Bureau of Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Economics (lyn.martin@infrastructure.gov.au) services Australian involvement in the activities of the International Transport Forum and the Joint Transport Research Centre.