ALRTA News – 11 June 2021

THANK YOU TO OUR NATIONAL SPONSOR
bp

Are you receiving full bp Membership Benefits?
 
As part of your State Association membership you are entitled to exclusive benefits courtesy of ALRTA National Sponsor bp. 
 
To make sure that you are receiving your benefits you need to inform BP to link your account to ALRTA .

Let your State Association know your account number and trading name (so they can record it on your membership). 
 
Once it is set up there is nothing else to do, except enjoy the benefits! 

Haven’t got a bp membership yet? Sign up today and don’t forget to use the promo code ALRTA to ensure you get your exclusive discount!

NEW COVID-19 EXPOSURE SITES

NSW and Queensland are on high alert after a Victorian Couple broke lockdown and travelled 1,700km between Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast between 1–8 June.  The couple have since tested positive to COVID-19 and are now in isolation. Potential exposure sites include:

  • 1 June: Gillenbah.
  • 1 June: Forbes.
  • 2 June: Dubbo.
  • 3-4 June: Moree.
  • 5 June: Goondiwindi.
  • 6-8 June: Sunshine Coast.

If you have visited these locations on or soon after the dates listed please urgently check the NHVR website for instructions concerning testing and isolation.
 
More Information
For the latest summary of border rules and testing sites click here.

ALRTA SEEKS RELIEF FROM RAMP STANDARD FEES

ALRTA has written to the Assistant Minister for Industry Development, Senator the Hon Jonathon Duniam, expressing concerns about costs associated with accessing Australian Standards published by Standards Australia.  Our concerns arise in the context of the publication of AS 5340:2020 Livestock Loading/Unloading Ramps and Forcing Pens (the Ramp Standard)which is now sold by Standards Australia for $124.91 (electronic version) or $138.64 (hard copy). 


Photo: ALRTA National President Scott McDonald. 

ALRTA previously made our Ramps Guide available to the entire livestock supply chain in electronic and hard copy format free of charge.
 
Given that Standards Australia in a not-for-profit organisations operating under and Memorandum of Understanding with the Commonwealth Government, ALRTA has questioned by it is necessary for the organisation to accumulate $316m in financial equity. In our view, once a sustainable financial position was reached, excess equity should have been directed to reducing the cost of accessing important Australian Standards.
 
ALRTA has recommended that:

  1. The Commonwealth Government review the Standards Australia financial model with a view to determining a reasonable level of financial equity (including contingency funds) required to support sustainable operations.
  2. The Commonwealth Government revise the MOU with Standards Australia to require that Standards Australia must maintain the identified reasonable level of financial equity, with excess financial resources directed towards reducing barriers for accessing Australian Standards.

 Australian Standards are vital for safety, health, trade, competition, environment and harmonisation of regulation. ALRTA believes that the Commonwealth Government has a central role in demanding fair access to Australian standards for students, household consumers and small businesses.

ALRTA @ NATIONAL DROUGHT FORUM

Chair of the ALRTA National Driver and Animal Welfare Committee, Graeme Hoare, attended the National Drought Forum in Toowoomba, QLD. The Forum was facilitated by the National Recovery and Resilience Agency and National Farmers Federation, and included an opening address by the Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management, the Hon David Littleproud MP.
 
While ALRTA is supportive of the Federal Government’s $600m commitment to improved preparation for natural disasters, we are disappointed that the current strategy neglects to recognise the vital role of road transport in managing natural disasters and during the recovery phase. During recent fire, flood, drought and pandemic it has been our transport operators and drivers that have come to the rescue moving livestock, delivering fodder and farm supplies as well as moving vital food, fuel and medicines.
 
ALRTA will make additional representations to the Federal Government to underscore this point.

NTARC – NTI – MORE TRUCKS, MORE FREIGHT BUT FEWER CRASHES

A major new report, released ahead of the June long weekend, has found during COVID Australia’s roads were the safest they’ve been in years, with the number of multi-vehicle crashes involving heavy vehicles down more than 16 percent.

NTARC author, Adam Gibson, of NTI, said the positive findings came despite more trucks and freight being on Australian roads, particularly during the pandemic.
 
The report also found a dramatic drop in fatigue-related crashes, down from 27% to 8%.

NTI’s National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC) has published its 10th, and now annual, national report into the cause of major crashes involving heavy vehicles.

NTARC author, Adam Gibson, of NTI, said the positive findings came despite more trucks and freight being on Australian roads, particularly during the pandemic.

DISCOVER THE FINDINGS  – NTARC 2021 is now live – The 10th edition of the report highlights the impact of Covid-19 and road safety!

INDUSTRY WIN ON TRUCKING BUSINESS LICENSING

Trucking businesses will not need to hold a special business licence or meet a mandatory national operator standard under planned changes to the national truck laws, the ATA understands.

Australia’s transport ministers made the decision on Friday 28 May when they met to decide how to complete the review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law.

“The ATA argued strongly against trucking business licencing or proposals for a national operator standard,” ATA CEO Andrew McKellar said.

“An independent report we commissioned with NatRoad showed that trucking business licensing could involve licensing 131,580 businesses at a total cost of $3.2 billion over ten years.

“And yet the National Transport Commission was unable to identify any clear safety benefits from the option.

“We are very pleased that transport ministers have listened to the views of the ATA and our members. We are looking forward to working with governments to complete the review and deliver a new version of the law that will increase safety and productivity.”

The official communique from the meeting says final legislation will be presented to ministers in mid-2023.

JBS PAYS $14.2M TO END CYBER ATTACK

JBS Foods has paid $14.2m AUD in Bitcoin to a criminal syndicate to end a cyber attack that crippled the business for five days. The payment was made on the condition that systems were fully restored and company data was not compromised or released.

NHVR TARGETS ILLEGAL ENGINE MAPPING

A new NHVR education campaign will highlight the health and safety risks caused by illegal engine remapping.
 
The campaign will focus on educating the heavy vehicle industry and public on the harmful effects that engine remapping can have on heavy vehicle drivers and logistics workers, as well as communities and the environment.



NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the campaign was an opportunity for the NHVR to work collaboratively with the heavy vehicle industry to remove engine remapping and improve safety.
 
“The NHVR’s highest priority is safety and we’ll continue to focus on compliance while delivering education and awareness through information like the engine remapping campaign,” Mr Petroccitto said.
 
“By and large, our industry does the right thing, but occasionally we see unsafe practices occurring and it’s our job as a regulator to lead change.
 
“Whether you’re an owner, driver, mechanic, part of the supply chain or a light vehicle driver, engine remapping puts everyone at risk,” he said.
 
The campaign will be delivered in two phases, with an initial focus on the exposure that toxic diesel emissions can have due to engine remapping.  Research indicates that remapped engines can release up to 60 times more pollutants* into the atmosphere, which can cause damage to the health and safety of workplaces, communities and the environment.
 
The second stage of the campaign will focus on remapped engines that disable speed limiter controls. With recent compliance checks indicating up to 10 per cent of all heavy vehicles are operating with illegally remapped engines**, the danger is significant and can cause serious injury.
 
Federal Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said the campaign was important in helping draw attention to greater health and safety benefits across the heavy vehicle industry.
 
“You might not immediately realise the dangers of illegal engine remapping, but it’s a serious issue and one that the industry as a whole can control and eradicate,” Mr Buchholz said.
 
“I congratulate the NHVR for their stand on this issue and look forward to progress being made.”
 
Mr Petroccitto added that with more than 50,000 owners and operators and in excess of half a million heavy vehicles across the country, everyone had a part to play.
 
“Let’s all clear the air over illegal engine remapping and stop speed limiter tampering in its tracks,” he said.
 
The NHVR will run a series of engine remapping campaign messages across outdoor advertising, across publications and via social media.
 
For more information on the campaign and to find out more on the risks and penalties, visit www.nhvr.gov.au/engineremapping

MEN’S HEALTH WEEK 14 – 20 JUNE 2021

Men’s Health Week kicks off on Monday 14 June and is a great opportunity to connect, come together, learn more about men’s health and male-friendly services and make a positive difference in the lives of men and boys.


This year OzHelp will be visiting worksites to promote men’s health, deliver on-site health checks and share what it means to be healthy. 

For support, contact OZHelp on 1300 694 357. 

SAFET360 AND U TURN THE WHEEL

SafeT360 will be attending U Turn the Wheel Road safety event in Goulburn NSW on 21-22 June 2021.

The “U Turn the Wheel” program is a one-day in-school road safety program that is now being delivered to Year 11 students in  High School.

Expert presenters talk to students about the issues facing young drivers, and discuss strategies to deal with them.

The program reinforces the messages that parents are trying to get their young drivers to heed – that the decisions and actions made by drivers on the roads are their responsibility alone, and can often lead to unforeseen and tragic consequences.

 They are expecting to have approximately 420 year 11 students through the exhibition over the two days from Goulburn and surrounds. 

FRIDAY FUNNY

I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport security asked,

‘Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?’

To which I replied, ‘If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?’

He smiled knowingly and nodded, ‘That’s why we ask.’

SAVE THE DATES FOR 2021

LRTASA Conference – Adelaide SA – 18-19 June 2021 – Register Here
LRTAQ Conference – Roma QLD – 16-17 July 2021 – Register Here
LRTAWA Industry Day – Perth WA – 14 August 2021
LRTAV Conference – Bendigo VIC – 20-21 August 2021
LTAT/National Combined Conference – Hobart TAS – 22-23 October 2021