LOWES PETROLEUM
ALRTA NATIONAL PARTNER
PROGRESSING FORBES EFFLUENT SITES
LBRCA President Paul Pulver joined ALRTA Executive Director Mat Munro and ALRTA Project Officer Sue Davies in Forbes this week to inspect potential sites for a new roadside effluent disposal facility on the Newell Highway near Forbes NSW. Our delegation first met with Forbes Shire Council Director of Engineering, Richard Jane, and other staff to consider technical, regulatory and funding challenges applicable to this project proposal. 
Forbes Shire Council Director of Engineering, Richard Jane, and LBRCA President, Paul Pulver, inspect one of three sites under consideration for an effluent disposal facility.
Our discussions centred around two possible sites on the south side of town, and one new proposal on the north side. Each site has different opportunities and challenges relating to ingress/egress, hard stand, access to utilities and disposal options. While good progress is being made, there is still plenty of work to do to finalise a site, draw up plans, seek funding and construct the facility.
ALRTA has already worked with local partners to construct Victorian sites that are now operational in Horsham and Mount Gambier. A third site is under construction in Warrnambool.
Warrnambool effluent facility under construction.
LRTAQ ANNUAL CONFERENCE: LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER!
The Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland (LRTA) 2022 Annual Conference will be held on the Sunshine Coast from Friday 4 March – Sunday 6 March 2022.
Association members, industry members, suppliers, service providers and government representatives are all invited to join the LRTAQ to hear the latest updates, discuss the future of our industry, and enjoy great social events.
A lot has been asked of the road transport industry over the last 12 months, and the industry is looking forward to coming together.
To register and view the program visit www.lrtaq.com.au/conference
The LRTAQ has also announced the finalists of the Young Person in Transport Award 2022:
- Andrew Travers – Travers Transport
- Brodie Coleman – Drury Farming Co
- Jamie Healey – Seilers Transport
- Luke Cannon – Frasers Livestock Transport
- Luke Taylor – Kahler Transport
The winner of the LRTAQ Young Person in Transport Award will be announced at the Bull Carter’s Ball on Saturday 5 March.
NT LIVESTOCK LOADING CHANGES 4 APRIL
The NT Livestock Loading Scheme will be amended from 4 April 2022. Key changes include:
- Adjusted concessional mass limits to provide for increasing unladen mass of modern prime movers and the use of auxiliary fuel tanks on trailers.
- A new permit process providing and administratively efficient way to apply the existing (unchanged) fee structure.
- New conditions, including a speed limit of 90km/h when loaded with cattle.
Importantly, vehicles are NOT eligible to operate under the scheme unless a Transport Inspector has affixed a Livestock Loading Label on the vehicle. The unladen weight of vehicles will be verified at a NT Vehicle Inspection Station or NT Government manned weigh bridge.
Mass concession provided by interstate livestock loading schemes do not apply in NT. For vehicles registered interstate, that have not been inspected and affixed with NT Livestock Loading Labels, and Interstate Interim Permit may be issued which allows 12 months for vehicles to be inspected and enter the NT scheme.
A two-year transitional period applies for vehicles already operating under the scheme.
Click here to download guidelines.
Click here to apply.
ALRTA MEETS HEALTHY HEADS
ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, met with the team from Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds, Sally Glover and Melissa Weller to discuss cooperation and promotional activities in 2022.
Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds is a registered not-for-profit charitable Foundation, established to improve outcomes in areas relating to psychological safety and physical wellbeing, across the road transport, warehousing and logistics industries in Australia. The core vision of the Foundation is to coordinate a national approach to creating healthy and thriving working environments that can be adopted by all operators within the sector.
ALRTA was pleased to make a donation to this worthwhile charity on behalf of our National Partners at our 2021 National Conference.
bp has recently announced a three year partnership as a Foundational Sponsor.
Frédéric Baudry, president, bp Australia and SVP fuels & low carbon solutions, Asia Pacific, said:
“Transport workers play an essential role in our operations and are vital to Australia’s supply chains, and we’re incredibly proud to be supporting the mental health and physical wellbeing of these hard-working individuals at our truck stops and travel centres.
“bp’s global sustainability frame includes an aim to enhance the wellbeing of employees, contractors and local communities. We believe innovative programmes and partnerships such as this are extremely important in ensuring Australia’s valued truck drivers, many of whom are also our customers and logistics partners, can access critical health support and services while on the road so they can continue to keep our nation moving.”
Naomi Frauenfelder, HHTS CEO, said: “We are extremely delighted to welcome bp on board as a Foundational Sponsor. Their contribution to the Foundation allows us to accelerate key projects and provides us with the opportunity to reach drivers while they’re out on the road, providing access to tools and support.”
Other Foundational Sponsors include PACCAR & Dealer and nti.
NHVR RELEASES REVISED CODE GUIDE
The NHVR has released revised guidelines for developing a Registered Industry Code of Practice (RICP). The amendments follow an independent review and consultation process during 2021.
ALRTA is currently developing a RICP for managing livestock effluent in road transport. Our code is nearing completion and will be treated as a transitional code that will not need to be totally revised to meet the new guidelines (although changes have been made to meet the fundamental new drafting approach).
Click here to access the new guidelines.
PREPARING FOR FOOT AND MOUTH
On Wednesday 23 February 2022 the Dept Agriculture, Water & Environment (DAWE) hosted a very informative webinar focusing on Australia’s preparedness for an outbreak of Foot and Mouth (F&M) disease. The webinar, attended by ALRTA Project Officer, Sue Davies was recorded and will be published shortly on the DAWE website here.
Presenters, including Matt Price (DAWE – with experience from the UK), Sally Thomson (DAWE) and Wilna Vosloo (CSIRO), spoke about the UK experience, the devastating and long-term impacts of the disease, and the potential impact of F&M in Australia. Ms Thomson talked about the importance of collaboration in planning and implementing coordinated emergency response plans while Ms Vosloo outlined current and future developments in research and technology, for example in Point of Care testing and mRNA vaccines.
Contaminated swill feed introduced F&M to the UK in 2001. The disease is highly infectious and spread quickly – it has the potential to be airborne and spread by the wind, as evidenced by its identification on the Isle of Wight. Mr Price showed a graphic video of the F&M response in the UK: livestock being destroyed, burned and buried and paddocks being disinfected. He emphasised; lessons are not learnt unless implemented!
Ms Thomson spoke of the importance of agriculture to Australia’s economy and the F&M risk posed by meat products being brought here from other countries. F&M is present in about 70% of the world. That is why Animal Health Australia (AHA) operates the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA) and the AUSVETPLAN. Outbreak simulation exercises, including modelling a large national standstill, contingency planning, training in disease recognition and diagnostics, are critically important. Ms Vosloo said the work to develop mRNA vaccines is exciting. These vaccines will not contain live virus.
DAWE and its partners are working to ensure that if an outbreak of F&M were to occur, Australia would have a quick return to disease free status. But of course, prevention is better than cure!
FUNDING FOR FUTURE FUELS
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has launched the Future Fuels Program, with $127.9 million funding to support fleets to shift to new zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) technology over the next four years.
The Future Fuels Program will operate as a competitive, open and ongoing program that aims to support vehicle fleet operators to integrate ZEVs into their operations.
Funding will be available for light vehicle fleet operators for charging and electrical infrastructure, while heavy fleet operators are eligible for funding towards enabling infrastructure and some support for vehicle costs.
ARENA is also looking to fund projects that incorporate hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and refuelling infrastructure.
NATIONAL TRUCKING INDUSTRY AWARDS
Nominations are now open for the 2022 National Trucking Industry Awards – celebrating the inspiring achievements of Australian trucking’s most committed individuals and organisations.
Trucking is essential to the Australian way of life, and it plays a crucial role in keeping the country moving and our communities supplied. Especially in the last 2 years as we have all responded to COVID-19.
Nominations for the 2022 National Trucking Industry Awards are 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.
Nominate someone great and join us in Gold Coast as we celebrate industry excellence.
Nominations close 1 April 2022. Nominate Now.
SAVE THE DATES FOR 2022
LRTAQ (QLD) – 4-5 March 2022- Surfair Marcoola QLD – Information & Registration
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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