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PACCAR & DEALER INDUSTRY FUND
Designed, tested and manufactured in Australia, Kenworth’s range of heavy duty trucks offer you the strength and durability required to handle the most demanding operating conditions.
Reliable on and off the highway and purpose-built for high GCM applications, the Kenworth K200, T659, T909 and C509 give you flexibility of design with a range of heavy duty axles and suspensions to suit the task at hand.
For your heavy duty needs speak to your local Kenworth Dealer or visit kenworth.com.au
FLOOD ADVICE
Record heavy rain and flooding is affecting southern QLD and northern NSW.
Heavy Vehicles
Heavy vehicle operators should take the following steps when accessing flood-affected areas.
- Check the local road conditions through state road manager websites. A list of websites with the latest information about road conditions can be found here.
- If travelling in an affected area, check with local emergency services or recovery operations.
- Ensure your vehicle is able to travel on the existing network. If you’re travelling outside of these networks, you may need to obtain a permit through the NHVR Portal or call 13 NHVR (13 64 87) for assistance. Avoid using back tracks or off-network roads to get around road closures.
- There may be alternate routes in place to ensure the Livestock and Bulk Transport industry can keep moving. To find out more on road conditions in QLD and NSW, go to the following links:
https://qldtraffic.qld.gov.au
https://roadconditions.racq.com.au
https://www.livetraffic.com
Recovery Assistance
A request for activation of Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) for impacted Local Government Areas is underway. Additional activation requests will be considered once further impacts are assessed.
Livestock primary producers who have suffered damage can apply for an Individual Disaster Stricken Property (IDSP) declaration, providing access to freight subsidies up to $5000 and concessional loans of up to $250,000.
Find out about other emergency assistance and household assistance that’s available now.
Support services
There are higher than normal mental health issues due to the current weather event and cumulative impacts from previous events. Please share financial and emotional support available on the Natural Disaster Support Services page.
FUTURE PROOFING THE NATIONAL FREIGHT CODE
ALRTA met with the Federal Government, national road and rail regulators, and state jurisdictions to consider a re-drafted National Freight Code that will apply in the event of further COVID-19 outbreaks and government responses.
Generally, the revised code is much improved on the original that was hastily put together in the midst of the pandemic. However, ALRTA has suggested that further improvements could be made by including high level principles concerning:
- Consistency of border permits, and ideally, mutual recognition or a national permit;
- Treatment of fully vaxed and non-fully vaxed freight workers;
- Consideration of changing state rules on interstate testing capacity; and
- Coordination of information via national regulators.
While we hope we will no longer need the code, now is the time to prepare in case of a further outbreak.
ALRTA ATTENDS LRTAQ CONFERENCE
ALRTA National President, Scott McDonald and ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, are heading to Marcoola QLD this week to deliver a presentation at the 2022 LRTAQ Annual Conference. We will also attend the LRTAQ Committee Meeting, AGM and legendary Bull Carter’s Ball. Look out for a full report next week.
ALRTA ASSISTS TRAINING DEVELOPMENT
ALRTA Executive member, Athol Carter and ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, met with the Australian Lot Feeders Association, Meat and Livestock Australia and the Queensland Trucking Association this week to discuss the development of a new transport training package for feedlot operators. It’s early days, however, we are pleased to be invited to participate in the process to ensure that the practical perspectives of transporters will be reflected in the resulting training materials.
CLOSURE OF QLD TESTING SITES
Due to flooding and road closures, the dedicated heavy vehicle COVID-19 testing sites located at Boondall and Goondiwindi have permanently ceased operations, effective immediately.
In addition, please be reminded that the remaining heavy vehicle COVID-19 testing sites located at Charlton and Port of Brisbane will also cease operations on 7 March 2022.
COMPLIANT HAY BALE LOADING
NHVR has issued advice for operators carrying round hay bales after recent inspections found loads that were not adequately secured or not secured using an appropriate restraint method.
Do not risk vehicle rollovers or dislodgement of bales which can pose a risk to road users or workers.
Information on bale restraint can be found here.
FARMER ACCEPTS UNDERTAKING
The NHVR has accepted its first enforceable undertaking (EU) from a Victorian sole trader and farmer after he failed to comply with his vehicle’s mass requirements when transporting potatoes.
An investigation by NHVR’s Safety and Compliance Officers found that on 17 July 2020 the steer axle of the heavy vehicle owned by Gavin Bone weighed 8850kg – 147% over the allowed limit of 6000kg.
NHVR Director of Prosecutions Belinda Hughes said this EU demonstrates how this alternative avenue to prosecution could be effective for small operators.
“An EU is designed so that instead of paying fines it’s instead spent on improving safety,” Belinda said.
“In this case, we determined that more safety benefits would be achieved from an EU, for both Mr Bone and the wider farming industry.”
Under the EU, Mr Bone must complete a personalised mass management course and share his learnings with the farming community in a paid advertisement in Seed Potatoes Victoria annual guide.
Find out more about the sole trader EU
2021 KENWORTH DEALER OF THE YEAR
Widely regarded as the industry’s most sought-after prize for dealers, Brown & Hurley Kenworth DAF Darra has taken out the prestigious Kenworth Dealer of the Year award for 2021.
Open to Kenworth dealers across Australia and New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, the award recognises dealer excellence in truck sales, parts sales, finance, and aftersales support.
Brown & Hurley Kenworth DAF Darra is no stranger to winning awards as this is the fourth time the dealership has won the Kenworth accolade and it also follows on the heels of DAF Dealer of the Year win in 2020.
The presentation of both Dealer of the Year awards were livestreamed again as part of PACCAR’s online annual dealer meeting.
PACCAR Australia’s Director Sales and Marketing, Brad May, congratulated Brown & Hurley Kenworth DAF Darra Dealer Principal Matt Innes, acknowledging the whole team for their resilience and subsequent superb result in what was another challenging year.
READ MORE
ALERT: JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS
Japanese encephalitis is an acute mosquito-borne viral disease that occurs mostly in pigs and horses. The virus has recently been confirmed in piggeries in NSW, QLD and Victoria.
Pigs
The virus is spread by mosquitoes. It does not spread directly from pigs to people, and it does not spread from pig to pig.
In pigs, the most common clinical signs are mummified and stillborn or weak piglets, some with neurological signs. In a naïve population, litters from sows and gilts would be expected to be equally affected.
Piglets infected after birth can develop encephalitis which presents as paddling or other neurological signs in the first six months of life. In other cases, wasting, depression or hindlimb paralysis may be seen in suckling piglets and weaners.
Adult sows do not typically show overt signs of disease. If boars are present on farm, they may experience infertility and oedematous, and congested testicles.
The virus does not present any food safety issues from eating pork meat or products.
Horses
In horses, the disease is usually mild but severe encephalitis can occur which may be fatal. Signs include fever, jaundice, lethargy and anorexia.
Neurological signs include incoordination, difficulty swallowing, impaired vision, and rarely a horse can become over excited.
Some horses can be infected with the disease but not show any signs. Horse owners can help their horses avoid mosquito bites. Put a light rug and fly mask on your horse and apply a safe insect repellent.
Mandatory Reporting
This is a nationally notifiable disease so it must be reported to biosecurity authorities. If you see signs of Japanese encephalitis in horses or donkeys, immediately call the Emergency Animal Disease Watch hotline on 1800 675 888.
2021 DAF DEALER OF THE YEAR
Kenworth DAF Hallam has been named the 2021 DAF Dealer of the Year. This is the second time the Melbourne dealership has been awarded the coveted accolade since its introduction in 2002.
The DAF Dealer of the Year program is structured to reward the best performing dealers within the PACCAR dealer network. The award is not just about the highest truck sales, it also recognises superior performance across the business including customer relationships, facilities, parts and service and finance performance in terms of market share, growth, and aftersales support. All areas that Kenworth DAF Hallam exceeded throughout 2021.
In addition to the DAF award, Kenworth DAF Hallam also took out Cummins Dealer of the Year, and the coveted PACCAR Service Dealer of the Year award, demonstrating outstanding commitment to their first-class service environment and customer support.
The presentation of the Dealer of the Year awards were livestreamed again as part of PACCAR’s online annual dealer meeting.
Congratulating the dealership for its performance, Brad May, Director Sales and Marketing for PACCAR Australia, said Kenworth DAF Hallam was very deserving of the prize and praised its continued success with the DAF brand.
READ MORE
ASSOCIATIONS FORUM CONFERENCE
The 16TH Annual Associations Forum National Conference will be held on Monday 11 – Tuesday 12 April 2022 at CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park, Melbourne.
Hundreds of senior executives, Board members, and experts in their field will meet face-to-face to lead discussions on the key issues affecting the associations, charities and not-for-profit sector.
Click for more information and registration.
TRUCKING AUSTRALIA 2022
Unlock and Reconnect at Trucking Australia 2022. Gold Coast 4-6 May 2022
ALRTA members who register before 18 March 2022 will save $100 and can take advantage of MEGA deal and full conference pass tickets. REGISTER HERE
At Trucking Australia, you will have the opportunity to participate in our exclusive workshops and panel discussions.
SAVE THE DATES FOR 2022
LBRCA (NSW) -26 -28 May 2022 – Wagga Wagga NSW – Information & Registration
LRTASA (SA) -17-18 June 2022 – Adelaide SA
ALRTA/LRTAV National Combined Conference -12-13 August 2022 – All Seasons Bendigo VIC – Information
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