PACCAR LAUNCHES KENWORTH T610
This week PACCAR launched the Kenworth T610. It ticks the boxes on innovation, durability, productivity, driver comfort and safety and it’s designed and manufactured in Australia for tough conditions. The new T610 is one of the most aerodynamic and fuel efficient production trucks ever to carry the iconic Kenworth bug, powered by the Cummins X15 Euro V engine with Advanced Dynamic Efficient Powertrain (ADEPT) technology. ADEPT is a suite of advanced electronic features for the XF15 Euro V engine that interact with Eaton automated manual transmissions, dynamically adapting to operating conditions to enhance fuel economy, with no impact to productivity. Find out more here.
MINISTER CHESTER ANNOUNCES FATIGUE RESEARCH PROJECT
Federal Transport Minister, the Hon Darren Chester MP, has announced an $828,000 investment in a Heavy Vehicle Driver Fatigue Project. The project will be a collaborative effort between NTC, NHVR, Cooperative Research Centre for Alertness, Safety and Productivity, universities and industry.
The aim of the research will be to assess the current fatigue framework and better inform future fatigue policy.
The funding has been committed for the next two years to ensure that the research is finalised and available to Ministers in 2018.
TRUCKCARE MEETS WITH COSTCO AND METCASH
This week ATA and ALRTA representatives travelled to Sydney to meet with CostCo and Metcash as part of the review of TruckCare. Again, we found that while each retailer has a different approach to dealing with animal welfare and truck safety issues they are all keenly aware of the increased scrutiny on corporate social responsibility.
The TruckCare review committee will meet before the end of 2016 to consider our learnings across the five big meat retailers and prepare for the next consultation round with major meat processors in early 2017.
ALRTA EXECUTIVE MEETS
The ALRTA Executive Committee met via teleconference this week to discuss issues including secretariat operations, sponsorship, national conference, investigation and enforcement powers and the review of the Victorian Owner Driver and Forestry Contractors Act. The Executive will next meet in January 2017.
REVIEW OF THE VICTORIAN OWNER DRIVER ACT
The ALRTA Executive has resolved that the ALRTA will make a submission in response to the review of the Victorian Owner Driver and Forestry Contractors Act 2015. We will also assist LRTAV in the preparation of a state submission and provide grass roots members with tools and information to support the lodgement of individual submissions before 31 January 2017.
NSW GENERAL CARRIERS CONTRACT DETERMINATION
While we are on the subject of owner drivers, the ALRTA understands that the parties negotiating over the interim GCCD have now reached an agreement that will be submitted to the NSW Industrial Relations Commission.
There have been disputed reports in the media about coverage of the final order. The revised order has not yet been published, but as far as we can tell at this stage the outcome is that:
- The order will apply only to particular sectors including general, furniture and refrigerated;
- Some new contractual obligations will extend state-wide;
- Mandatory minimum rates will continue to apply to trips wholly within NSW that are less than a 50km radius from the point of origin; and
- For longer trips, the mandatory minimum rates now applied in the Sydney area will also extend to trips that start in Sydney and end in the Newcastle – Wollongong corridor.
Importantly, you will remain exempt if you:
- Transport livestock;
- Transport primary produce to or from land used for primary production;
- Are engaged by a primary producer;
- Use a specialist vehicle such as a tipper; or
- Are a ‘common carrier’ (i.e. you transport materials for anyone) rather than a ‘contract carrier’ (you transport materials for only one customer).
Industry lobbying efforts have kept rate increases to a minimum and prevented greater geographic coverage than originally proposed by the TWU.
The negotiating parties will be back before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission in January 2017 and the NSW Government is likely to conduct an economic assessment of the proposal. It is possible that a final order will be published around March 2017.
The ALRTA will provide you with more detail about the order once a final version has been published.
INVESTIGATION AND ENFORCEMENT POWERS
The ALRTA has made a submission to the NTC review of HVNL Investigative and Enforcement Powers. Our position was developed after consideration of key issues at ATA Council, participation in an NTC workshop and input from ALRTA Executive and State Associations.
In general, the ALRTA favours stronger investigative and enforcement powers because of the impending shift to a new chain of responsibility regime in mid-2018. This will involve new primary duties on all parties in the chain and a presumption of innocence rather than simply deeming all parties in the chain guilty if a primary offence is detected on the road.
We have made 18 recommendations that, if adopted, would model HVNL powers on WH&S powers making it easier for authorised officers to obtain information, ‘follow the chain’, prosecute across state borders, inspect suspect vehicle fleets, impose immediate injunctions (if required), share information across agencies, publish information about successful prosecutions and share information about driver offences with the owners of heavy vehicles.
The NTC will make recommendations for the consideration of Australian Transport Ministers in May 2017.
ATA APPOINTS NEW CEO
The Australian Trucking Association has appointed the former CEO of the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, Ben Maguire, as its new Chief Executive Officer.
ATA Chair Noelene Watson said that Mr Maguire was an outcome focused, strong, resourceful and committed association chief executive officer.
“Ben is a skilled advocate, highly regarded collaborator and known fair negotiator. He is committed to contributing to whole of business outcomes for the ATA, and is a leader who will mentor staff and control the ATA’s internal processes,” Mrs Watson said.
“He is strategic and innovative, and will deliver results,” she said.
Mr Maguire said he looked forward to working with and representing ATA members and this proud industry.
“Leading the ATA team and working with the board is a privilege, and a role that I am honoured to take on,” Mr Maguire said.
Currently a management consultant, Mr Maguire was CEO of the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach from 2007 to 2014. In this role, he negotiated partnership agreements with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and managed the inaugural Outback Horse and Heritage Expo in 2013.
From 1998 to 2006, Mr Maguire was the Operations Manager, Business Development Manager and then National Franchise Manager at AGL Energy.
Mr Maguire is co-deputy chair of the Regional Development Australia Southern Inland Committee, and is a member of the Council of the National Museum of Australia.
Mr Maguire will take up the CEO position in early 2017.
The ALRTA welcomes Mr Maguire to the role and we look forward to working together to tackle the big national issues.
GET YOUR WORK DIARY RIGHT
An ALRTA member based in Queensland recently received a court-imposed fine of $5,500 for a work diary breach.
Are you/your drivers doing the right thing? The NHVR has a video available to help drivers to fill out their work diary under the Heavy Vehicle National Law. https://www.nhvr.gov.au/news-events/webcast-hv-tv/get-your-diary-right
REMINDER: NATIONAL CONFERENCE
Registration brochures for the ALRTA and LRTAQ combined National Conference is now available. The event will be held 17-18 February 2017 in Toowoomba, QLD.
The full two-day program of events can be found here. We will bring you further announcements as the event draws nearer.
REMINDER: ALRTA OFFICE SHUTDOWN
Members and other interested parties are advised that the ALRTA National Secretariat will shut down over the Christmas and New Year period. We will close at 5:00pm, Friday 23 December 2016 and re-open at 8:30am, Monday 9 January 2017.
For urgent enquiries please contact Mathew Munro on 0421 082 489 or mathew@alrta.org.au
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