ALRTA News – 29 October 2021

THANK YOU TO ALL ALRTA NATIONAL SPONSORS

ALRTA would like to thank all National Sponsors for ALRTA/LTAT National Conference contribution. 

CLICK HERE TO VISIT ALRTA SPONSOR PAGE

HINGSTON AWARD TOPS OFF SUCCESSFUL ALRTA/LTAT JOINT NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Tasmanian Transport Industry stalwart Kerry Hingston received the NTI Transport Industry Achievement Award at a Gala Dinner held at Wrest Point, Hobart, on Saturday night.  The award topped off a memorable Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) and Livestock Transporters of Tasmania (LTAT) joint national and state conference.


 Gavin Pearce MP, Nick Hingston, Kerry Hingston, Louise Hingston, Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure & Transport Michael Ferguson. 

In response to the COVID restrictions, the 2021 conference was a hybrid event, with speakers and delegates from across Australia joining the Tasmanian event remotely. 

LTAT President Nick Hingston (Kerry’s son) and ALRTA National President Scott McDonald opened the event on Saturday morning, welcoming participants and introducing keynote speakers, Federal Assistant Minister for Freight and Road Safety, the Hon Scott Buchholz MP, and Federal Member for Braddon and keen supporter of the transport sector Gavin Pearce MP.

 Assistant Minister for Freight and Road Safety, the Hon Scott Buchholz.

Other speakers included Paul Simionato of the NHVR, Aaron de Rozario of the NTC, Athol Carter from TruckSafe, Adam Gibson from NTI, Chris Buza from the Tasmanian DPIPWE, Simon Buxton from State Roads, Sue Davies and Mathew Munro of ALRTA, Andrew Palmer from the Tasmanian Livestock Exchange, Michelle Harwood of LTAT and Darren Clark of Rural Alive and Well. 

Speakers answered questions from delegates in Hobart and delegates participating online.

Member for Braddon Gavin Pearce addresses attendees in Hobart.

Supported by National Partners BP, NTI, Paccar & Dealer Network, Lowes BP, Cummins, Goodyear, Byrne, and State Partners Ruband Tyres, Scania, Nutrien Ag Solutions, Tasmania Livestock Exchange, Paccar Parts, Grays online, Port of Melbourne Corporation, and Truck Art Livestock Trailers, the 2021 conference was well attended and provided insights to key topics relevant to the theme ‘Safety and Quality in Rural Transport Chains’.

The Gala Dinner was hosted by the Tasmanian Transport Association, attracting 200 guests from the wider transport community.  Guests at the event were treated to a unique experience with the Titans of Transport session; Barry Palmer, Robin Holyman and Chas Kelly taking to the stage and recounting stories from their extensive transport heritage, all of whom made significant contributions to the Tasmanian Transport Industry and the Association, which celebrated it’s 60th anniversary on the night.    Bob Thorpe, OAM, Life Member and founding chairman when the Association restructured in 1995, provided the closing address.

 LTAT delegates at the gala dinner. 

Tasmanian Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Hon Michael Ferguson MP, congratulated the industry for its dedication and professionalism during the pandemic, acknowledging the extremely trying circumstances under which the industry maintained secure supply chains for Tasmania and Tasmanian businesses, with an outstanding record of achievement.  CEO of the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, Sal Petroccitto, addressed guests, providing a summary of the regulator’s work nationally and in Tasmania and also congratulating the industry on its fine achievements and record during COVID.

Renowned Tasmanian superstars The Wolfe Brothers provided the headline entertainment for the evening, topping of a fantastic day and night of networking and celebration for the industry.

About the Award Winner: Kerry Hingston
Born and raised in the rural and farming district of Whitemore in Northern Tasmania, Kerry was around trucks and livestock from an early age.  Kerry’s father Viv started carting rural supplies and produce including livestock with his Desoto Tray Truck in 1948, and so Hingston Transport began. On leaving school, Kerry’s first job in was at the Golden Fleece Terminal in Invermay, where he filled 44-gallon drums with fuel.  A year later, in 1975 and as a young 17-year-old, Kerry made the decision to buy his own truck – a second hand 1973 Scania LB80.  In the years that followed, working with his father Viv and his mother Connie, Kerry took on a range transport jobs in the family business of VS & CV Hingston Transport, including livestock, general rural and bulk freight. 

Starting in the mid 1980’s, Kerry included off-farm cartage of bulk potatoes for processors Simplot & McCains. The business grew and in the early 1990’s Kerry and wife Louise took on the business in their own right.  On the back of Kerry and Louise’s reputation for reliable service, opportunities arose to diversify and in the mid 1990’s Kerry and Louise further expanded the business to include bulk milk cartage.  With the support of son Marcus across both milk and livestock areas, Kerry concentrated on managing the farm milk side of operations, while son Nick focussed on the livestock cartage.  Under this model and with Kerry managing the business overall, Hingston Transport conducted bulk milk cartage and farm pickups for the next 22 years, servicing milk producers statewide for National Foods.  In 2019 the business consolidated to focus on livestock and general transport and sons Nick and Marcus formally took on the business in that same year.  Nick is the current president of the LTAT.

ALRTA REJECTS NEW STANDARD HOURS

The ALRTA has rejected an NTC proposal to reduce maximum weekly work time to 60 hours, increase the minimum daily continuous rest period to 8 hours and prohibit all driving 14 hours after the end of a long rest break.  The proposals were outlined in an Industry Workshop Paper on a Fatigue Management General Schedule published by the NTC in October 2021.

ALRTA National President Scott McDonald said that the both the proposal and the consultation timeframe were naïve and unworkable.

ALRTA National President Scott McDonald. 

“ALRTA is extremely disappointed that industry was given just one week to consider refined proposals relating to the Fatigue Management General Schedule. This timeframe was wholly inadequate for engaging grass roots members on an issue of core importance for the HVNL review,” said President McDonald.
 
“Furthermore, all of industry was surprised to find that the proposed general schedule entirely failed to appropriately balance the fundamental HVNL objectives of safety and productivity.  It is almost unfathomable, that after three years of industry consultation, a general schedule would be proposed that immediately invoked a total rejection by industry.
 
“While ALRTA acknowledges that the proposed general schedule has been developed with reference to fatigue research, we assert that it was, and remains, possible for the NTC to develop a general schedule that fully aligns with Ministerial directives while delivering a net improvement in both safety and productivity.
 
“The current proposal will negatively impact productivity, wages, return on capital, the viability of some journeys and driver shortages. With a limit of 12 hours per day of work time, it is not necessary to increase the long continuous rest break to 8 hours or to introduce a new rule prohibiting driving after 14 hours from the end of a long rest break. These rules will reduce flexibility and motivate tired drivers to keep working instead of resting as and when they need to.
 
“Before this process can reasonably move forward, the general schedule must be rebalanced to take account of road transport operational realities in an Australian context. More generally, it is disappointing that the review has been underway for three years and we are still examining unbalanced, uncosted options with one week consultation timeframes.
 
“As a dedicated and mature transport policy commission, the NTC should have the experience and resources to do much better,” he said.

NATS SUPPORT NET ZERO 2050

The Nationals have backed Scott Morrison’s plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 after securing concessions from the Liberal Party over stronger safeguards for regional communities and jobs.
 
Deputy Prime Minister Joyce said the Nationals had agreed in-principle to support a pathway to net zero by 2050 pending a cabinet decision this week endorsing their conditions. A new cabinet submission will be drawn up on Monday before a final decision is ratified ahead of Mr Morrison travelling to the COP26 summit.
 
Queensland Nationals senator Susan McDonald said the protections and safeguards secured by the party would help the regions continue to provide “good-paying, stable jobs in mining, agriculture and transport”.


ALRTA Executive Director Mat Munro and Senator Susan McDonald. 

The Agriculture Minister said the Nationals were “facing up to our international commitments but making sure we had the safeguards and protections there to ensure that all people in regional Australia can participate.  The technology road map that (Energy Minister) Angus Taylor has put together gives us comfort around where that can take us, particularly around protecting the existing jobs that are there and how that technology can in fact grow new regional jobs,” Mr Littleproud said.
 
Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie said there was no more totemic issue for the party over the past decade than “how to deal with climate change and the realities of how climate policy will impact and play out in the communities we’ve been sent here to represent”. “It’s not just agriculture. It’s not just mining communities. It is the poorest electorates in the country. And we’ve taken that role very seriously in all our interventions,” she said.

PERMIT-FREE TRAVEL UNDER PBS

A new notice delivered by the NHVR will give eligible Performance Based Standards (PBS) vehicles immediate network access when they receive a vehicle approval with a Tier 1 bridge assessment.
South Australia’s Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Corey Wingard said all PBS vehicles must pass various safety and infrastructure standards, such as acceleration capability, turning space, pavement wear, and mass and dimension limits.
 
“Previously operators of these approved PBS combinations would have to apply for a permit after receiving their vehicle approval. This National Class 2 Performance Based Standards (Tier 1) Authorisation Notice 2021 eliminates the requirement of a permit application and allows operators automatic access to approved networks,” Minister Wingard said.
 
“This is another example of governments and the regulator reducing red tape and providing increased access for the heavy vehicle industry, which has continued to keep Australia moving during the pandemic.”
 
NHVR CEO Sal Petroccitto said the Notice establishes a platform to provide operators with guaranteed PBS access before they build their vehicle.
 
“Operators have told us that knowing they have immediate network access would be a big factor in deciding whether to invest in a PBS vehicle or expand their PBS fleet,” Mr Petroccitto said.
 
“It will certainly encourage the take-up of these smarter, safer and more-productive PBS vehicles in the Australian heavy vehicle fleet.
 
“We will continue to build on this Notice by starting to roll out a higher productivity PBS notice later this year.”
 
The National Class 2 Performance Based Standards (Tier 1) Authorisation Notice 2021 applies in South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Tasmania and Victoria.
 
Each network – as shown in the Notice’s jurisdictional schedules – has a maximum mass cap and a specified length limit for eligible vehicles.
 
Operators must ensure they check their vehicle approvals against the conditions of this Notice.
 
Links to the Notice and operator’s guide are as below:

GRAYS ONLINE

ALRTA and LTAT appreciate the excellent service Grays Online provided with the Conference. Grays donated the buyers premium fees from all the auction items.  Although, ALRTA members were eligible for buyer’s premium rebate no member opted to do this, massive thank you to everyone.

For nearly 100 years, Grays has helped buyers and sellers connect. From their first livestock sale in Goulburn, NSW in 1922 to moving our sales online in 2000 we have demonstrated the experience and expertise to deliver.

It’s 100% free to list on Grays.

SAVE 9c A LITRE WITH bp PLUS

Looking for more ways to save on business expenses? With a BP Plus fuel
card your business can save 9 cents per litre, for your first 4 months when you
sign up by 30 November^.

Plus, if you’re on the road a lot, you can make every trip even more rewarding
and earn up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when your business refuels at bp
within the first 4 months^. Use those points to reward yourself, your team or
offset your business expenses on flights, accommodation, car hire or
something special from the Rewards Store.

Do business the clever way. Sign up for a BP Plus fuel card today.
Use code ALRTAQBR9FOR4
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T&Cs apply ^ visit www.bpplus.com.au

^To earn bonus Qantas Points with BP Plus your business must 1) successfully sign-up for a BP Plus account between 1 September and 30 November 2021, 2) be approved for a BP Plus account, and 3) be a Qantas Business Rewards member, or within thirty (30) calendar days of being approved for a BP Plus account, become a Qantas Business Rewards member.

Approved businesses will receive 9 cents off per litre off the pump price of Ultimate 98, 91, 95, Diesel and Ultimate Diesel, for a period of 4 months commencing from the date of the BP Plus application being approved, with the offer expiring after 4 full months have passed.

When the discount period has ended, BP Plus account holders will revert to the ALRTA base offer. Your business will earn up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points on eligible fuel purchases within 4 months of successfully opening a BP Plus account; bonus points will be awarded as follows: Purchase 3,500 litres to earn 20,000 bonus Qantas Points; or Purchase 7,000 litres to earn 50,000 bonus Qantas Points; or Purchase 16,500 litres to earn 100,000 bonus Qantas Points. Bonus Qantas Points for the qualifying tier of spend will be awarded within 8 weeks of the final day of the 4 month discount offer period.

BP Plus and Qantas Business Rewards terms and conditions apply. Qantas reserves the right to determine the award of bonus Qantas Points to eligible customers.

FRIDAY FUNNY

SAVE THE DATES FOR 2021 & 2022

LBRCA Conference – Wagga Wagga NSW – 10-12 February 2022 – Registration
LRTAQ Conference – Sunshine Coast – 4-5 March 2022