Future Leaders Announced

ALRTA News – 10 February 2023

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RURAL TRANSPORT RISING STAR AWARD

ALRTA Media Partner PowerTorque Magazine, in association with the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association, is introducing the Rural Transport Rising Star Award, an award to shine the spotlight on and encourage the best in the young people who are working the industry and driving it forward into the future.

This is an initiative to celebrate and reward, with a cash winner’s prize, the young people building the rural transport industry of the future.

MORE INFORMATION AND TO NOMINATE

INDUSTRY DEFEATS FUEL TAX CHANGES

The trucking industry has joined forces, successfully campaigning against a controversial proposal by the Grattan Institute that would have dramatically increased the effective fuel tax on trucks.

The Grattan Institute report, Fuelling budget repair examines fuel tax and the fuel tax credits system.

The report argued that fuel tax credits should be abolished for on-road heavy vehicles. Fuel tax credits for off-road vehicles would be reduced.

The ATA worked with member associations to argue against the Federal government adopting the proposals in the report. 

ATA argued that if the proposals in the report were adopted, the effective fuel tax paid by trucking businesses would increase by 20.5 cents per litre, from 27.2 cents per litre to 47.7 cents per litre.

ATA Chair, David Smith warned the Grattan Institute’s proposal would spell disaster for the trucking industry – and ultimately for consumers. 

The ATA ran a media campaign, targeting trade publications, including a media release.

Within 48 hours, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the government would NOT be adopting the Grattan Institute’s proposal.

In the House of Representatives on 8 February 2023, the Hon Michelle Landry MP asked if the Prime Minister would rule out any changes to the fuel tax credits scheme.

Prime Minister Albanese simply responded “Yes”.

PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDS OF RED MEAT

ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, attended a Parliamentary Friends of Red Meat event in Canberra this week. The event, held in the House of Representatives Speaker’s Courtyard and organised by the Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC), brings together politicians from all major parties and influential decision makers and stakeholders from the entire red meat supply chain.
 
And who doesn’t like a summer BBQ (cooked by MLA Corporate Chef, Sam Burke) accompanied by an Aussie beer or red?
 
Our thanks to RMAC for the invitation and the opportunity to catch up with friends across the industry and political spectrum.

ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, with Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Senator the Hon Murray Watt

LIVESTOCK STANDSTILL RULES IMPROVED

Over recent months, ALRTA representatives Athol Carter and Mat Munro have been participating in a review of the Nationally Agreed Standard Operating Procedures (NASOP) for managing a national livestock standstill that will occur if Foot-and-Mouth-Disease (FMD) is detected in Australia. ALRTA pushed for the review as part of a broader review of the FMD AUSVETPLAN that lays out a nationally agreed response and eradication plan.

If called, the standstill would apply for a minimum of 72hrs, prohibiting all new livestock movements and applying rules to the management of livestock already in transit.

Key among our concerns were the overly complex rules for deciding whether to cease, continue or turnaround a journey and determining precisely when a journey has commenced or concluded.

The NASOP working group now completed its review and will recommend the improved rules to jurisdictions for adoption and publication.

CONGRATULATIONS JOEL

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and Daimler Truck have announced the 13 next-generation Future Leaders who will take part in the career-defining program, 2023 Daimler Truck Future Leaders.

ALRTA congratulates our candidate, Joel Haberfield (of Boyles Livestock Transport), on his acceptance to the program.

Joel will be in Canberra from the 23-24 February 2023 to join fellow program participants as they are mentored by experts in leadership, media and political training.

During these workshops, the cohort will collaborate to develop an industry advocacy project to be presented at the ATA’s Trucking Australia conference from 29-31 March 2023.

See more information about the Future Leaders Program here

ANIMAL WELFARE EXEMPTION EXTENDED

ALRTA is pleased to advise that NHVR has renewed the National Livestock Welfare Work and Rest Exemption Notice 2023 (No.1) for a further three years to 2026.
 
The Notice applies to solo drivers of fatigue-regulated heavy vehicles operating under standard hours or BFM hours when:

  • a livestock welfare incident occurs in the course of the journey;
  • compliance with standard hours or BFM hours would result in a livestock welfare incident.

 In those circumstances, a driver may work up to an additional hour, provided that twice the additional work time is added to the next long rest break. Drivers must also keep a specified record of the event.
 
ALRTA recommends that member operators and drivers read the full details of the notice.
 
On the advice of ALRTA and our state member associations, NHVR has written to all police agencies to reminding them that enforcement officers should be aware of and familiar with the notice. 

QLD HARMONISES TELEMATICS RULES

The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) has commenced an 18-month transition period which will harmonise the use of National Telematics Framework applications for heavy vehicles in Queensland with other jurisdictions.
 
These changes will include transitioning vehicles from the:

  • Intelligent Access Program (IAP) to the Telematics Monitoring Application (TMA); and
  • Interim On-Board Mass (OBM) Solution to Smart On-Board Mass (Smart OBM).

 The change relates to the following classes of vehicles:

  • Class 2 vehicles operating at Higher Mass Limits (HML)
  • Class 2 Performance-Based Standards (PBS) Level 1 & 2A Truck and Dog Trailers operating at HML
  • Class 2 PBS A-Doubles
  • Class 3 20m Long 3-Axle Truck and 4-Axle Dog Trailers.

The 18-month transition period will run from 1 December 2022 to 31 May 2024.

The transition period is available to vehicles already operating in the IAP and the Interim OBM Solution.   

The transition period does not apply to new vehicles which fall into the above vehicle classes. From 1 December 2022, new vehicles must participate only in TMA and (if required) Smart OBM.

Details of the TMA schemes for each class of vehicle can be accessed on the following pages:

Transport Certification Australia (TCA) will host a free webinar on the changes on 23 February 2023.  To register, click here.

NHVR BREACH CATEGORISATION

The NHVR has published a Breach categorisation webpage that provides industry with information about how mass, dimension, loading and fatigue breaches are categorised under the Heavy Vehicle National Law based on their potential risk to public safety, the environment, road infrastructure or public amenity.

In the Fatigue section of this webpage, you’ll find a new Fatigue Reference Card that summarises the risk categories for the different regulated work and rest options.

ALRTA NATIONAL COUNCIL

ALRTA National Council will meet face-to-face in Melbourne on 17 February 2023.
 
For more information please contact our National Secretariat via: office@alrta.org.au

SAVE THE DATES FOR 2023

LBRCA – 9-11 March 2023 – TAMWORTH NSW – Information & Registration
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 – BUSSELTON – WA.
LRTAV – 11-12 August 2023 – BALLARAT – VIC
LRTAQ – 28-29 September 2023 – The Ville Resort, TOWNSVILLE – QLD