ALRTA News – 12 August 2016

RECRUIT A MATE AND EARN A $350 REWARDS PACK

Yes, you read that right!

If you recruit a mate to join any one of our family of state associations between 5 August 2016 and 5 October 2016, we will send you a $350 rewards pack that includes:

  • A $100 fuel voucher – thanks to BP;
  • A $100 parts voucher – thanks to PACCAR Parts; and
  • A $150 tyre voucher – thanks to Beaurepaires.

And that’s not all – the new member will also receive the same rewards package!

Here’s how it works:

  • You recruit a new member;
  • They fill out an application form, make payment and nominate you as the referrer;
  • You both receive a $350 rewards package in the mail shortly after 5 October 2016.

All members are also eligible to enjoy ongoing benefits such as fuel discounts via the BP network, special tyre offers and extended coverage with NTI insurance products.

You can obtain more information and application forms from our state associations here.

This offer is strictly limited to the first 50 new members Australia wide.

So, what are you waiting for?

NATIONAL-STATE CONFERENCE WRAP UP

The ALRTA-LRTAV joint National-State Conference has been a resounding success. The conference program was very well attended and jam-packed with top notch speakers and special events.

The RACV Resort in Torquay proved to be a very attractive venue with more than 200 delegates attending over Friday-Saturday, 5-6 August 2016.

Friday, 5 August
Friday kicked off with golf in the morning followed by a stellar line up of speakers including the Victorian Minister for Minister for Roads and Road Safety, the Hon Luke Donnellan MP; Ex-Federal Independent Senator for Victoria, John Madigan; and Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell.

In the evening, delegates were treated to a keynote address by the Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, the Hon Darren Chester MP.

   
Left: Minister Donnellan & President Keenan
Right: David Smith, Minister Chester & President Keenan

The Minister then presented a Life Membership to John Beer in recognition of his enormous contribution to livestock and rural transport over more than 50 years.  We then watched an excellent promotional video about the ProWay Crate P.A.L. side loading frame featuring John Beer, that has since gone on to reach more than 130,000 hits on facebook.

Click on these links to check out the ProWay video and our national ramps guide.

Minister Chester congratulated the three finalists for the LRTAV Young Driver of the Year Award.  It was a tough decision for the judges, but the honor was awarded to Rob Hodge.

  
Left: ALRTA Life Member, John Beer
Right: LRTAV Young Driver of the Year, Rob Hodge

Saturday, 6 August
The Saturday conference program also included some great speakers including the NHVR CEO, Sal Petroccuitto; ATA Chair, Noelene Watson; and Eric Henderson, Director of Regulatory Services, VicRoads.  The ALRTA President and Executive Director also updated delegates about the issues being dealt with at the National level.

Some of the highlights over the day included:

  • A special presentation of a model b-double livestock truck to the NHVR CEO;
  • The announcement of PACCAR Parts as out newest National Sponsor;
  • The launch of our National Member Drive;
  • The launch of a new ALRTA Logo; and
  • A ‘soft’ launch of the second livestock and rural AFM template.


Above: ALRTA VP’s Graeme Hoare and Stephen Marley with NHVR CEO, Sal Petroccuitto (centre)

The Gala Dinner was a chance to recognise and thank our long term national sponsors: PACCAR & Dealer; NTI; Cummins; Beaurepaires and BP – along with our two newest sponsors PACCAR Parts and King Bars.

I was especially moved by the special announcement that LRTAV member Shane Knight has been inducted into the Road Transport Hall of Fame. Shane humbly accepted the honor but felt undeserving – after all, it was only 43 years of hard work and dedication to the industry that got him here.

In addition, the LRTAV presented two special awards to Marla Stone and Alina Hawkins in recognition of the hard yards they put into defending our industry during the high stakes and often demoralising RSRT Campaign.  These two ladies faced the RSRT head on and stood shoulder to shoulder with us without blinking right until the very end. We could not have swung the pendulum back in our favor without passionate supporters like these!

    
Left: Hall of Fame Inductee, Shane Knight
Right: Significant Contributors, Marla Stone & Alina Hawkins

The awards were followed by our major auction event.  As usual, our sponsors donated a range of items to help support the work of our associations over the coming year.  Some of the major items included: a Cummins engine; King Bull Bar; York Axles; B-double set of tyres; iPads; a Michael Clarke signed cricket bat; and a range of merchandise packs.  We thank all of our donors and the buyers of these quality items.

The evening was topped off by well known comedian, Mick Meredith.  It would be best if I don’t repeat any of his hilarious routine here!

A Big Thank You
It takes a huge effort to organize and execute major events like these.

The ALRTA thanks all of the LRTAV Executive and members who contributed to planning and running the various sessions over the two days.  We reserve a very special thanks to Melisa Champness and her team of helpers who were right at the center of it all from day 1 – this one will be hard to top!

Also, the ALRTA and LRTAV thank all of our National and State sponsors for your support, as well as all of the delegates who attended to help make it such a special and memorable event.

NEW ERA FOR LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT

The NHVR will release their second livestock fatigue template, “Long Runs”, on Monday, 15 August.

The “Long Runs” template provides additional flexibility where operators demonstrate appropriate control of fatigue. The template is designed to allow operators up to 15 ½ hours of work time in a single work opportunity on a non-consecutive basis (i.e., one day long, one day short).

According to the NHVR Executive Director, Productivity and Safety Geoff Casey: “I’m pleased to deliver more options to the livestock industry to operate more efficiently and maintain high safety standards. This template will kick start the process to allow the NHVR to work closely with individual businesses on their fatigue management systems.”

To design more flexible schedules, operators would need to accredit their business by putting transport fatigue management procedures in place, training staff and drivers, and undergoing regular audits. Currently, about 12 per cent of all operators under Advanced Fatigue Management are livestock operators so they are well positioned to take advantage of the template.

NHVR has worked with ALRTA to introduce controls and countermeasures as part of their fatigue risk management systems.

ALRTA National President, Kevin Keenan, said that the NHVR understood the realities of the livestock transport task.

“Livestock transport is like no other freight task.  Operators are simultaneously dealing with heavy vehicle laws and animal welfare laws, and often in rural and remote environments where access to driver and animal facilities can be difficult”, said President Keenan.

“The NHVR is delivering more flexible fatigue options that enable our drivers to deal with the operational realities of the task while remaining compliant with the law”, he said.

Click on this link for more information about the Livestock Transport Fatigue Management Scheme.

ALRTA ANNOUNCES PRIORITIES FOR 2016-17

The Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) has announced the key industry priorities for 2016-17.

The priorities were determined at a meeting of the ALRTA National Council in Torquay Victoria on 4 August 2016.  The priority issues are:

  • Effluent;
  • Establishing a national standard for low-volume road access;
  • Responding to the threat of the NSW General Carrier Contract Determination;
  • Improving driver and animal welfare;
  • Heavy vehicle charging.

ALRTA National President, Kevin Keenan, said that while progress has been made on many fronts, there is still plenty of work to do.

“Over the past few years the ALRTA has been punching well above its weight.  In partnership with government, industry and community stakeholders we have seen off the RSRT, broadened the coverage of chain of responsibility laws to better capture pre-transit livestock preparation, released National Guidelines for Ramps and Forcing Yards, extended the 160km log book exemption to all HVNL states, worked with NHVR to produce the first AFM templates and achieved an exemption from mandatory ABS for trailers operating in off-road conditions,” said President Keenan.

“The ALRTA will build upon this solid foundation during 2016-17.”

“Effluent loss can be a problem for other road users as well as for the transmission of pests and diseases.  We will seek to establish guidance material on how persons preparing livestock for transport can meet their duties under the new chain of responsibility laws.”

“Like many across the industry, the ALRTA is gravely concerned about the prospect of RSRT-like requirements for owner drivers arising from the recent NSW General Carrier Contract Determination.  We will work with other parties across the industry to convince decision-makers that rate setting simply does not work in the rural transport sector.”

“The future of heavy vehicle charging is also high on our agenda.  We can’t just sit back and let Governments continue to overcharge us by more than $200m a year while they beaver away in the background on a new user-pay system that could greatly disadvantage transport operators using second and third tier country roads.  We will work to ensure that we get the best value from our taxes and charges and avoid an overly complex solution to the charging problem,” he said.

ELECTION RESULTS: ALRTA AGM

The ALRTA National Executive was re-elected for a further one year term at the AGM held on 4 August 2016.  Our National Executive is:

  • National President: Kevin Keenan (LRTAV)
  • Vice President: Graeme Hoare (LBCA)
  • Vice President: Stephen Marley (LRTAWA)
  • Treasurer: Ron Pattel (LRTAQ)
  • Secretary: John Beer (LRTAV)
  • ATA Representative: David Smith (LRTASA)
  • Immediate Past President: Grant Robins (LRTAWA)

ELECTION RESULTS: LRTAV AGM

The ALRTA congratulates the following office bearers elected at the LRTAV AGM on 6 August 2016:

  • President: Mick Debenham
  • Vice President: Graham Howell
  • Vice President: David Rogers
  • Treasurer: Trevor Fry
  • Secretary: Peter Sheils
  • Immediate Past President: John Beer


Above: LRTAV President, Mick Debenham (left), and Immediate Past President, John Beer (right).