ALRTA News – 21 April 2023

THANK YOU TO ALRTA NATIONAL PARTNER
LOWES

Maximise your ALRTA membership entitlements – link your Lowes Petroleum account.

Haven’t got a Lowes account for your bulk fuel? 

Talk to a Lowes Sales Manager phone 1300 4 LOWES (1300 4 56937) or
CLICK HERE



AGRIFOOD WORKFORCE SUMMIT

ALRTA Executive Director, Mat Munro, will be a panellist at next week’s Agrifood Workforce Summit. 
 
Amidst growing global economic headwinds and workplace challenges confronting the sector, the Agrifood Workforce Summit brings together politicians, policy makers, as well as union and industry leaders, to tackle the pressing issues facing the future of agriculture and food production in Australia.
 
Jointly hosted by the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) and National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), the Summit will focus on three key themes: skills shortages; workplace safety; and workplace relations, with the aim of driving debate and reform to ease pressures across the industry.
 
This is a must-attend event for those in the agrifood sector, including those in agriculture, food manufacturing and processing, transportation and logistics, distribution, retail and food service.
 
Summit participants will have the opportunity to network and connect with key leaders to help shape the future of the industry.
 
Time:
11am – 3:30pm
Thursday, 27 April 2023
 
Location:
Room Three Sixty, Science and Engineering Centre
QUT Gardens Point Campus
2 George Street, Brisbane
 
Dress:
Business Attire
 
Tickets:
To register for this FREE event, click here.

FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARDS FOR CARS

The Australian Government has opened consultation on a new Fuel Efficiency Standard for cars. The proposal is part of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy which aims to increase the supply of low or zero emissions vehicles to assist in meeting a net zero target.
 
The transport sector makes up 19% of Australia’s emissions and is projected to be the largest source of emissions by 2030. On average, passenger cars in Australia emit 40% more carbon than cars in the European Union, 20% more than the US and 15% more than New Zealand. Australia is one of the last industrialised countries to develop a fuel efficiency standard.
 
According to a Government fact sheet, Fuel Efficiency Standards will set an ‘average COemissions’ target for cars sold by each vehicle supplier. They only apply to new cars, not cars that are already in the market or being used on the road. If suppliers sell more fuel efficient cars than the target, they get credits. If they sell more polluting cars than the target, they need to buy credits from a different supplier or pay a fine.
 
The ATA says that Australia risks falling behind on electric, hydrogen and zero emission trucks after heavy vehicles were left out of the National Electric Vehicle Strategy.
 
Incentives in the United States mean that cost parity for US electric urban trucks will be met imminently, brought forward from later this decade. Regulatory, financial and infrastructure barriers are denying Australian trucking operators the option to use zero emission trucks where it makes sense.
 
The ATA has called for a national zero emission truck strategy to include:

  • Setting clear climate ambition by signing the global MoU on zero emission trucks
  • Fixing vehicle design rules, with initial changes to be sorted by 2025
  • Increasing investing in electric recharging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure for trucks
  • A temporary purchase price incentive

125 BRIDGES & CULVERTS TO BE ASSESSED

One hundred and twenty five bridges and culverts in 33 different councils will receive funded engineering assessments as part of the NHVR’s Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project (SLGAAP), supported by the Australian Government.

Through the SLGAAP, the NHVR connects engineering consultants with local government road managers to deliver funded bridge and culvert assessments and engineering reports.

Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Senator Carol Brown said, “through the SLGAAP, local council bridges and culverts are prioritised based on its likelihood to deliver improved productivity and efficiency outcomes for a heavy vehicle journey from start to finish.”

“No bridge or culvert is considered in isolation. Rather, they are selected based on if an assessment may unlock access for more classes of vehicles such as A-doubles, to travel more extensively on Australia’s freight network.”

The Australian Government has committed $20 million towards the project, which includes more bridge and culvert assessments through to late 2024.

For more information on the Strategic Local Government Asset Assessment Project, visit www.nhvr.gov.au/slgaap

THE MEANING OF RECKLESS

NHVR has published guidance on the meaning of ‘Reckless’. The guide states that:

  • Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, a person is reckless as to the risk if they are aware of the possibility of death, serious injury or illness as a result of their conduct and still choose to engage in that conduct.
  • It doesn’t matter if there is less than a 50% chance of the risk occurring – if death, serious injury or illness is a possibility, it’s a real risk for you.
  • If you ignore a risk that is known to you, you may be found to be reckless.

 To read the full guide click here.

REMINDER: LIVE EXPORTS CONSULTATION

Members are reminded that the consultation period on the phase out of live sheep exports concludes on 31 May 2023. The consultation paper can be found here

SAVE THE DATES FOR 2023

  • 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