ALRTA News – 30 August 2019

The most spacious sleeper in the Kenworth range, the T610 1400mm Aero Roof Sleeper offers you more room to move, with improved standing room, wider bunk options, multiple storage layouts and a suite of driver comfort features.

The T610, offering you more in-cab comfort than ever before.
 To find out more contact your local Kenworth dealer or visit www.kenworth.com.au/1400sleeper

HVNL REVIEW: ASSURANCE MODELS

The National Transport Commission has released an issues paper on ‘Assurance Models’ as part of the review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.  The purpose of the paper is to:

  • describe assurance frameworks and their role
  • summarise the current assurance frameworks in the HVNL and related instruments, and examine their purposes and how they operate
  • identify options for an assurance model for the future HVNL
  • seek feedback on whether this paper has captured all the relevant issues.
NTC Staff Consult with ALRTA National Council on the HVNL Review.

ALRTA is consulting with members on the issues paper and will include views on this topic in our comprehensive submission to the National Transport Commission.

FATIGUE EXEMPTION NOTICES

ALRTA has been informed that police in some jurisdictions are misinterpreting the National Primary Production Work Diary Exemption Notice 2018, taking the view that the notice does not apply if a heavy vehicle is not loaded with primary produce. Strictly speaking, this is not a correct interpretation but the current wording of the notice does leave some grey areas.  ALRTA has written to NHVR on the matter and will seek clarification for members (and changes if necessary).
 
ALRTA also advises members that NHVR is actively working on a proposed extension of the National Heavy Vehicle Work and Rest Hours Exemption (Personal Use) Notice 2018 to include BFM, and possibly AFM, drivers – most likely limited to the 24hr break. ALRTA requested this extension some time ago and we are pleased to hear that it is progressing.

NATIONAL GOVERNANCE OF FARM ANIMAL WELFARE

In February 2019, the Agriculture Ministers’ Forum agreed to develop options to improve the national governance framework for regulating farm animal welfare in Australia. The Agriculture Ministers’ Forum is a meeting of Australian, state and territory agriculture ministers.
 
State and territory governments are responsible for farm animal welfare regulation in each jurisdiction.  Since 2006, state and territory governments have worked together with the Australian Government to develop Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines (e.g. Land Transport Standards) as a basis for consistent regulation.  The standards are intended to be implemented in each state and territory’s legislation.  The guidelines are intended to be used by industry in quality assurance programs or similar but are not intended to be enforceable.
 
The Australian Government has been consulting stakeholders on options for improving the national governance framework for farm animal welfare, including how animal welfare standards and guidelines are developed implemented and enforced. ALRTA met with officials on 6 May 2019.
 
Consultation has demonstrated that the current national governance system has failed to achieve national consistency, provide investment certainty, and ensure consumer confidence and community trust.  Generally, stakeholders felt that:

  • There is a lack of leadership;
  • Processes are slow and inefficient;
  • Stakeholder views are not adequately considered;
  • Standards are not evidence-based and do not balance all considerations (e.g. economics, social, environment);
  • Standards are not implemented consistency across jurisdictions;
  • There is a lack of knowledge about the standards and guidelines;
  • There is negligible enforcement.

Ministers and senior officials will consider the findings and again consult with stakeholders prior to the next meeting of the Agriculture Ministers’ Forum.

NEWELL HIGHWAY CORRIDOR STRATEGY

Freight efficiency, road safety and support for drought-affected areas will continue to improve across regional New South Wales thanks to the completion of the Newell Highway Corridor Strategy.
 
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development and Member for Riverina Michael McCormack said the Federal Liberal and Nationals Government-funded strategy would ensure the corridor serves the needs of the freight industry and regional communities well into the future.
 
“The Newell Highway is one of the most significant freight and tourist routes in New South Wales, providing a major regional freight and passenger transport connection to Victoria and Queensland,” Mr McCormack said.
 
“The strategy delivers an evidence-based 10-year investment roadmap that will inform future investment across the length of the Newell Highway over the long term to maximise productivity gains for freight users on the corridor.
 
The Australian Government has already committed $700 million to the Newell Highway corridor through the 2019–20 Budget.”
 
“Planning is well advanced for our $100 million Parkes Bypass election commitment, with construction due to begin in mid-2020.”
 
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said the strategy was further proof of the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting and enhancing critical regional roads.
 
“The strategy, developed through evaluation of current and future demand along the corridor, assessment of existing performance and stakeholder engagement, identifies six key corridor objectives,” Mr Buchholz said.
 
“These objectives include road and rail solutions designed to meet growing freight efficiency demands and reduce costs for regional supply chains.
 
“By taking a strategic approach to guide future investment priorities, the Federal Liberal and Nationals Government is prioritising getting Australians home or to where they need to be, no matter where they live, sooner and safer.”
 
The strategy can be viewed here.

BIOSECURITY INFORMATION HUB

The Australian Government, state and territory governments, industry and environmental groups have worked together to deliver a new national biosecurity website which will be a central hub for Australia’s biosecurity information.


 
The decision to develop the new national website follows a recent review of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Biosecurity.
 
The beta site, beta.biosecurity.gov.au, lets users be involved in the website’s development. Data and feedback collected during the beta phase will help shape the final website.
 
The final biosecurity.gov.au website will be released when we are confident it meets user needs.
 
Lyn O’Connell, head of the biosecurity function and Deputy Secretary in the Department of Agriculture, said the website is vital in providing biosecurity information to a wide range of stakeholders, including state and territory agencies, industry, environmental groups, research bodies and other government agencies.
 
‘You can be one of the first to explore beta.biosecurity.gov.au. Your feedback will help us understand what does and doesn’t work across the site to build a better service.
 
‘The website will provide information to the National Biosecurity Committee and its sub-committees, and website users can discover information about how to reduce biosecurity risks and how to report a concern.
 
‘The website is being developed based on personas, ranging from a beekeeper to a boat owner, an international traveller to a primary producer, and an animal owner to a pest and weed manager,’ Ms O’Connell said.
 
Visit beta.biosecurity.gov.au and provide feedback to help improve the site.

INDUSTRY UNITES TO FIGHT Q FEVER

Severe sweats; aching muscles and joints; flu-like symptoms and extreme fatigue – that’s what farmers can expect to experience if they contract the potentially deadly Q Fever.  People who become sick often have severe flu-like symptoms about 2-3 weeks after coming into contact with the bacteria. Most people become immune to repeat infections but occasionally people develop chronic infections for up to two years and can cause a range of health issues including heart problems. The effects of Q Fever can be debilitating for years. About 10 per cent of patients who are sick with Q Fever go on to suffer from a chronic-fatigue-like illness.

Farmers and others who work with livestock are most at risk of contracting the illness. The condition is a bacterial infection spread from animals – mainly cattle, sheep and goats. People are usually infected by breathing in the bacteria in the air or dust.  A person can come in contact with the disease while handling infected animals, mowing grass contaminated by infected animal excretions, or visiting, living or working in/near high-risk industries.

Despite the seriousness of the illness, awareness of Q Fever and how to prevent it remains low.

Six prominent agricultural and rural organisations have joined forces to raise awareness of Q fever and its impacts on communities and workers. 

The NSW Farmers’ Association, Australian Meat Industry Council, Country Women’s Association of NSW, National Farmers’ Federation, Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association, the Australian Meat Processor Corporation and Q fever researchers are combining efforts on a National Q Fever Taskforce to advocate for better access to Q fever vaccination.

The Taskforce will ask state and federal governments to sign up to a National Partnership Agreement on Q fever, which will clearly define state and federal responsibilities for managing the disease, and provide a framework for government investment.

NSW Farmers President, James Jackson, is a vocal advocate for Q fever awareness following his own battle with the disease. 

“Q fever is a deadly disease, and it’s the last thing a farmer needs to be dealing with during an ongoing period of drought.”

“We want to see governments of all levels coming together to address this crucial public health issue. New South Wales has led the way on funding awareness and new vaccine research – other states and the Federal Government need to step up to match this investment.”

Patrick Hutchison, CEO of the Australian Meat Industry Council, noted that it needs to be clearly understood that Q fever is not an occupational disease and is not restricted to any individual industry. 

“Q fever is a community health issue that can affect every person, young or old. The Q fever Taskforce has been established to highlight the scale of the disease and the need to raise its awareness across Australia to businesses, governments at all levels, the medical fraternity and, of course, the general community.”

The Taskforce also aims to have all tests and vaccination details contained on the National Immunisation Register, to ask the Federal Government reintroduce funding for the National Q fever Management Program, and to secure funding for research for a new and improved vaccine.

Industry groups seeking to join the Taskforce should contact Alexandra Bunton at NSW Farmers on buntona@nswfarmers.org.au

For more information on Q Fever visit https://www.qfever.org/.

CRATE P.A.L. @ KILCOY GLOBAL FOODS (KGF)

The crate P.A.L trial begins on this Monday 2 September 2019 at Kilcoy Global Foods.

Over the 12-week period, the Crate P.A.L. will be available for use on a voluntary basis.  For those who choose the use the frame, a fee will be levied via the AVDATA system.  Fees have been determined via two surveys of ALRTA member operators. 

The charge will initially be set at $15.00.  Every two weeks the fee will be reduced until it is removed completely.

The charge will be varied during the trial period as per below:

  • Monday 2 September $15.00
  • Monday 16 September $12.50
  • Monday 30 September $10.00
  • Monday 14 October $7.50
  • Monday 28 October $5.00
  • Monday 11 November $2.50
  • Monday 25 November End of Trial

Each fortnight the rate will be shown on the ALRTA website https://alrta.org.au.

2019 TMC PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

The ATA is excited to launch the 2019 Technology and Maintenance Conference program, a line up packed with interactive technical sessions, practical workshops, job-specific presentations and hands-on demonstrations that will benefit you and your team. 

TMC 2019 has something for every member of the trucking industry, including:

  • Interactive workshop demonstrations
  • Informative technical sessions covering key industry topics
  • Exclusive keynotes
  • An update on the exciting ATA’s Industry Technical Council converter dolly, with insights into the project’s history, its performance in combinations, and design changes made as a result of feedback from the trial operators
  • TMC expo, Castrol Virtual Reality Pit Crew Challenge, PACCAR Parts Fun Night, and the Castrol Vecton Awards Gala Dinner. 

TMC 2019 is your once-a-year opportunity to embrace new ideas and develop real skills, build your professional networks and celebrate industry excellence. 
View the program and register now 

HEAVY VEHICLE LAW – HAVE YOUR SAY!

The ATA and national road transport newspaper Big Rigs have launched a new campaign that gives Australia’s truck drivers a chance to share their views on the national truck law review.

Drivers can share their thoughts and suggestions through a dedicated textline, email or the ATA and Big Rigs Facebook channels, with every single piece of feedback received to be sent through to the National Transport Commission (NTC) for inclusion in the review. 

“The campaign is about debunking the myth that the Heavy Vehicle National Law review is being run by ‘suits’ and not connected to the industry,” ATA CEO Ben Maguire said. 

The ATA has expressed great appreciation for the NTC’s flexibility and willingness to accept the important feedback. Read More.

Share your views on the national truck laws today.

Text: 0429 322 919
Email: CH40@truck.net.au
Facebook: Australian Trucking Association | Big Rigs

NTI – CURE TO MND ONE STEP CLOSER THANKS TO RESTORED TRUCK “ROXANNE”

Researchers looking into a cure and effective treatments for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) will be the beneficiaries of a new grant, the result of a truck restored and raffled off by Australia’s largest trucking insurer National Transport Insurance (NTI).
 
Doctors Shyuan Ngo and Frederik Steyn from The University of Queensland (UQ) are among those applying to the MND Research Institute of Australia for a share of $200,000 to help fund research into treatment options for MND, a condition that claims two Australian lives every day. 
 
Dr Shu Ngo said: “The research we do into MND is really focussed on trying to understand how the body responds to the disease and what we might be able to do to slow the progression of the disease for people who are diagnosed.”

To see photos click here 

UPCOMING EVENTS

2020 LBRCA Annual Conference  – Tamworth 6 – 7 March 
The LBRCA has secured the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Convention Centre (TRECC) for their 2020 Annual Conference on 6-7 March 2020.