CUMMINS IS A NATIONAL SPONSOR OF ALRTA
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NHVR TO ROLL OUT BODY WORN CAMERAS
Smile – you’re on Candid Camera.
Body worn cameras (BWCs) have been issued to all NHVR Safety and Compliance Officers following a recent trial in South Australia and Tasmania.
The BWC is a portable camera worn by NHVR officers to capture audio and video recordings of interactions between officers and those involved in heavy vehicle transport activities.
It also provides a number of important safety benefits by encouraging safe and mutually respectful interactions.
NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said that the cameras would be worn during intercepts and evidence gathering activities by all NHVR officers in South Australia, Victoria, the ACT and Tasmania.
NHVR officers will be required to advise you of the presence of the cameras. Footage and audio will be stored for evidentiary purposes.
ALRTA OFFICE PHONE
The ALRTA National Office landline in Canberra is now working with a diversion to the mobile phone. This will be in place until the NBN is installed. This has been a slow process and ALRTA apologies if we have missed any calls due to the transition.
ALRTA VISITS BYRNE TRAILERS IN WAGGA
ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, travelled to Wagga Wagga in the first week of 2020 to tour the Byrne Trailers manufacturing operation.
Byrne Trailers is recognised as the leading manufacturer of specialised livestock and bulk cargo transport equipment in Australia. From humble beginnings in 1974, Byrne Trailers has continued to expand and innovate being the first to introduce air-bag suspensions to livestock trailers and now specialising in stainless steel crate construction.
Mat was privileged to be hosted by David Byrne and Mario Collosimo. The visit included a discussion about market and regulatory issues, a factory tour and dinner at the William Farrer Hotel (i.e. the ‘local’). The factory is huge, with trailers at every stage of manufacture or repair by passionate staff who really know their trade. ALRTA thanks Byrne for hosting the tour and for the excellent framed wall hanging that now adorns our office foyer in Canberra.
Look out for Byrne Trailer staff and equipment displays at our State and National conferences during 2020. ALRTA also wishes Mario Collosimo all the best who departed Byrne Trailers after nearly three years to take on the challenging Managing Director role with SAF-HOLLAND.
SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE PACKAGE
The Federal Government has announced immediate support for bushfire affected small businesses. This includes:
- Grant Funding: Up to $50,000 (tax free); and
- Concessional Loans: Up to $500,000 for up to 10 years, including zero repayments or interest for two years. Interest rates thereafter are set at 50% of the ten-year Commonwealth government bond rate (currently around 0.6%).
For information regarding available assistance, head to www.bushfireinfo.business
TRUCKING PUTS FORWARD BUSHFIRE ASSISTANCE PLAN
The disaster recovery allowance, concessional loans, and extension of the instant asset write off have been highlighted in a bushfire recovery plan put forward to the Australian Government by the Australian Trucking Association (ATA).
Developed by the ATA General Council and presented to the Deputy Prime Minister in a teleconference yesterday, the plan sets out the immediate, medium, and long-term assistance needed by Australian trucking businesses affected by the bushfire crisis.
“More than twenty industry representatives participated in the development of this proposal, highlighting the industry’s level of concern about the bushfires,” ATA Chair Geoff Crouch said.
“The impact these fires have had on trucking businesses and their employees is unprecedented. Some have lost their homes, workplaces or equipment. Others have been dealing with prolonged time away from their families, suffering financial loss and personal hardship as a result of road closures and lengthy delays.
“We appreciate the collaborative consultation process the government is undertaking, and value the opportunity to put the trucking industry’s needs on the bushfire recovery agenda.
“First and foremost, we have recommended the Disaster Recovery Allowance be made available as a wage subsidy to employers who can demonstrate loss or hardship as a result of the bushfires and that the allowance or any wage subsidy be extended from 13 to 26 weeks.
“We also believe that the Western Australian Shires of Dundas and Coolgardie should be disaster declared, so owner drivers held up by the closure of the Eyre and Coolgardie-Esperance highways can access the assistance,” he said.
In terms of concessional loans, the ATA has recommended that small business owners who get concessional loans under the government’s assistance package be able to select monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly repayment terms once their initial repayment and interest holiday comes to an end, maximising the flexibility of loan repayments for these businesses.
The proposal also recommends the extension of the instant asset write off to enable businesses to secure cashflow advantages.
“We believe the Government should increase the asset write off to $50,000 for one year only, with the higher write off to come to an end on 1 July 2021. At present, the write off is scheduled to fall from $30,000 to $1000 on 1 July 2020,” Mr Crouch said.
Mr Crouch said the ATA had called for the postponement of planned increases to truck taxes, which would see businesses pay an extra $132.8 million in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20.
“Given the cashflow implications of increasing the road user and registration charges, any increases in the road user and registration charges should occur from 1 July 2021 rather than 1 July 2020,” Mr Crouch said.
“With the industry already struggling as a result of the bushfires, the introduction of this increase in 2020 would only add to their burden,” he said.
Mr Crouch said for the longer term, the ATA had proposed extending the Farm Management Deposits Scheme to eligible trucking businesses.
“To help the trucking industry weather future natural disasters, the FMD scheme should be extended to include trucking businesses that receive more than 50 per cent of their income from sectors that currently have access to FMDs,” Mr Crouch said.
The ATA will put forward additional long-term measures later in the year, and will raise the need for payroll tax concessions directly with state governments.
The ATA and its member associations collectively represent the 50,000 businesses and 200,000 people in the Australian trucking industry. Together, the ATA and its members are committed to safety, professionalism and viability.
FIRES AND ROAD CLOSURES
ALRTA encourages transport operators to check the current status of fires and road closures. You can find the primary links here:
NATIONAL TRUCKING INDUSTRY AWARDS
The Australian Trucking Association has launched the 2020 National Trucking Industry Awards.
Nominations are now open in the following categories:
- Outstanding Contribution to the Trucking Industry
- National Trucking Industry Woman of the Year
- National Professional Driver of the Year
- National Training Excellence Award.
The award winners will be announced at the ATA Foundation Sponsors Gala Awards Dinner, held during the ATA’s Trucking Australia 2020 conference in Cairns in April. The Don Watson Memorial Award and TruckSafe John Kelly Memorial Award will also be presented at the dinner.
Nominations close 5 March 2020. Nominate now
REMINDER: DRIVING DIVERSITY
ALRTA members have the chance to be part of a ground-breaking initiative that will celebrate industry diversity, develop diversity champions, and improve industry image.
The ATA’s Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Program will showcase diversity champions to the trucking industry and wider community, promoting positive perception of industry and encouraging new entrants into the workforce.
While Australia is experiencing a big shift in the perception of transport, there is still a lot of ground to cover when it comes to diversifying the workplace.
Data shows the average Australian truck driver is a 47-year-old male, with females accounting for only three per cent of the driver workforce, and close to 60 per cent of truck drivers are aged 45 years or older.
The 2020 program will consist of filming program participant stories in their workplace, two days of diversity training and marketing campaign development workshops from 31 March – 1 April 2020, participation in Trucking Australia 2020, in Cairns from 1-3 April 2020 and an industry marketing and promotional campaign.
For more information: Fact Sheet
To apply: Nomination Form
Please send completed nomination forms to project@alrta.org.au by 31 January 2020.
MEETING NOTICE: ALRTA NATIONAL COUNCIL
Members are advised that the ALRTA National Council will next meet on Friday, 7 February 2020 at the Best Western Airport Motel and Convention Centre, 33 Ardlie St, Attwood, Victoria.
For more information please contact the ALRTA Secretariat via office@alrta.org.au
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UPCOMING EVENTS FOR 2020
LBRCA (NSW) on 6-7 March 2020 at Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Convention Centre NSW. Click here to Register
LRTAQ (QLD) on 19-21 March 2020 in Roma QLD. Click here to Register.
LTAT (TAS) on 2 May 2020 in Hobart TAS.
LRTASA (SA)on 12-13 June 2020 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre SA.
LRTAWA/ALRTA (WA & National) on 24-25 July 2020. Location in WA to be advised.
LRTAV (VIC) on 14-15 August 2020 at All Seasons Resort Bendigo VIC.
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