THANK YOU TO OUR NATIONAL PARTNER bp
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REMEMBER TO USE THE CODE ALRTA
ON THE FRONT FOOT WITH BIOSECURITY
Over the past few weeks ALRTA representatives have been participating in a series of desktop exercises to explore the operational suitability of the AUSVETPLAN covering Australia’s Lumpy Skin Disease Strategy. During the exercises, industry and government experts have considered disease outbreak scenarios and core associated responses relating to movement controls, vector management, establishment of disease free-buffer zones and vaccination strategies.
Learnings from each exercise will assist in refining the AUSVETPLAN and the operational advice that will be given to biosecurity officers and industry in the event of an outbreak.
Separately, ALRTA is participating in a focussed working group to review the National Livestock Standstill rules that would apply immediately on first detection of Foot and Mouth Disease in Australia. Key to re-casting the current rules is a better understanding of exactly what a journey is and exactly when it starts and finishes. We are hopeful that a common industry-government understanding around this element will result in better rules that will prevent new journeys from starting and allow the vast majority of trucks already in transit to continue to their intended destination.
NHVR INDUSTRY REFERENCE FORUM
ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, travelled to Brisbane to participate in the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s (NHVR) Industry Reference Forum (IRF).
The primary focus of the meeting was fatigue, including proposed reform of Advanced Fatigue Management rules and approval processes. In a nutshell, NHVR is proposing to establish a wider array of pre-assessed AFM operational templates supported by an automated application system that would assist an operator to tailor an AFM application to suit their particular operation. The platform would also be of assistance for ‘back-end’ NHVR assessment processes.
Participants also considered the possibility of establishing a ‘deemed impaired’ fatigue threshold that would apply much like the ‘deemed impaired’ 0.05 alcohol threshold. The fatigue threshold would likely be based on the amount of sleep a person had in the previous 24 or 48 hour period. This is an interesting concept that requires further exploration as it would apply to all drivers (not just truck drivers) and it may be difficult to prove impairment with any certainty. ALRTA will meet with fatigue experts to further this conversation.
ALRTA has flagged for the next IRF meeting a discussion about NHVR’s enforcement effort in NSW since taking on this function earlier in 2022.
ALRTA MEETS FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, met with officials from the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) this week to progress a number of important issues.
With regard to Federal Labor’s Election commitments, the Department is currently scoping the bounds of a new National Animal Welfare Strategy. ALRTA welcomes a Federal role in in coordinating our state-based animal welfare laws. As a trading national with open internal borders we can ill-afford to have different rules applicable across different states and territories.
The new Australian Animal Welfare Inspectorate will be limited in its powers to live exports, as it will not have jurisdiction over internal livestock welfare rules. However, it is unclear exactly where this boundary will lie as arguably, the live export chain commences with preparation of domestic livestock for transport to a port or export processing facility. ALRTA will be consulted further via a soon to be released discussion paper.
For our part, ALRTA educated DAFF officials about the national ramp standard and the need to establish truck washes and livestock effluent disposal facilities on key freight routes. This issue has taken on a new importance with the threat of Foot and Mouth Disease on our doorstep.
ALRTA will hold separate discussions with DAFF officials on preparations to ban live sheep exports.
REGISTER TO VOTE IN ATA ELECTIONS 2023
If you drive one truck or operate a small fleet (2-5 trucks) you can now register to vote in the 2023 election of owner driver and small fleet representatives to the ATA General Council.
You don’t need to be a member and registering to vote is free. This is your opportunity to have your say on who will stand up for trucking in Canberra.
To register to vote in ATA elections, you must own, be purchasing or leasing 1-5 trucks over 4.5 tonnes, including as a director of a company, a shareholder of a company, a trustee of a trust or a beneficiary of a trust.
Check your eligibility and register to vote now.
If you were registered to vote in 2021 and remain eligible, you do not need to register again. New voter registration closes 3 February 2023.
More information about the 2023 ATA elections is available on their website here.
Candidate nominations will open on 6 January 2023.
USING TELEMATICS TO IMPROVE SAFETY
This week ALRTA Project & Communications Officer, Sue Davies, attended a webinar about “Understanding driver behaviour with video telematics” hosted by Chris L’Ecluse of Teletrac Navman, with presentations by Jerome Carslake of National Road Safety Partnership Program (NRSPP) and Gavin Hill of Transport Certification Australia (TCA).
The webinar provided general information that will be very useful in setting the scene for a new ALRTA project, funded by the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI), that will demonstrate how telematic data can be used to prevent heavy vehicle roll-over crashes.
The key insights of the webinar were the importance of:
- setting clearly defined goals for the use of telematic data; and
- effective communication that strongly focuses on driver engagement.
ALRTA MEMBER MAILOUT
ALRTA asks members to look out for a hard copy letter and information pack from our national partners that was mailed out this week. The letter summarises our key activities over the past six months while the accompanying information pack outlines products, services and special offers provided by our national partners including: NTI, PACCAR and Dealer Industry Fund, Cummins, Byrne, bp, Lowes Petroleum, Goodyear and Powertorque.
TRUCKING AUSTRALIA23 – EARLYBIRD OFFER
Register now for Trucking Australia 2023 and get the early bird deal which gives you a saving of $100 off the full registration ticket.
TA23 will be held at the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort from 29-31 March 2023.
This is the perfect ‘out-of-office’ event for fresh air and ideas as ATA sparks positive discussions on navigating through the challenges our industry faces – all powered by you.
The early bird offer ends Friday 23 December 2022 at 11:59 pm AEDT.
For more information about the program and to register click here.
DIRECTOR ID EXTENSION
Company Directors: Have you applied for your Director ID? The ATO estimates around 700,000 directors are yet to apply.
While the deadline was 30 November 2022, the ATO have advised that they won’t take action on late applications if you apply by 14 December 2022.
Your tax agent can’t do this for you – all company directors must apply for a Director ID themselves, as they are required to verify their identity themselves.
The fastest way to apply is online at abrs.gov.au, which will issue a director ID instantly once the application is complete. Nearly 90% of directors who have applied so far have used the online service.
Once issued, the director ID will need to be passed onto the record-holder of the company – this may be the company secretary, another director, or authorised agent.
SAVE THE DATES FOR 2023
LBRCA – 9-11 March 2023 – TAMWORTH NSW – Information & Registration
LRTAQ – 16-17 March 2023 – TOWNSVILLE QLD
ATA TRUCKING AUSTRALIA 2023 – 29-31 March 2023 – SUNSHINE COAST QLD – Information & Registration
LRTASA – 16-17 June 2023 – Adelaide Entertainment Centre SA
LRTAWA/NATIONAL Combined Conference – 4-5 August 2023 – WA (Venue TBC)
LRTAV – 11-12 August 2023 – BALLARAT – VIC
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