CEO Message - 4 October 2024

CEO Message – 4.10.2024 

This year has been a particularly busy year for your Association possibly even more so than the worst of the COVID period, although for different reasons. 

Industrial Relations 

Firstly, the finalisation of the legislation to put the Road Transport Division (Minimum Standards) within the Fair Work division commenced on 26 August and was the culmination of many years of advocacy to ensure a fair balance was achieved for employers. This was a critical piece of advocacy undertaken by ARTIO (Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation) and the most significant reform in a generation.   

Many of our members are also members of ARTIO, and it is this commitment to your industry that helps us ensure the interests of road freight employers are duly considered. I encourage you all to elect to be a member of ARTIO to increase the strength of the voice we have for Industrial Relations advocacy. This is included in the cost of your QTA Membership. You can email Justine admin@qta.com.au to confirm this. 

Sustainable and viable road transport industry supply chains and contract networks are vital to the economic future of Australia.  The road transport industry is a price taking industry that operates on small margins and tight timelines. Decades of domestic and international evidence has established that where unfair commercial influence and pressure is applied to transport operations, business viability is compromised, and this reform is essential to “push back” on unfair commercial influence. 

ARTIO will be placing greater emphasis on Minimum Standards and the appropriate mechanisms being put in place to ensure that there is greater safety, fairness and sustainability for transport operators and workers in Australia. As submissions are made and contested before the Fair Work Commission (FWC) we will keep members well advised. 

Infrastructure Investment 

With the 2024 State Election upon us, the QTA has run a substantial campaign on “Fixing the Bruce” and other critical road infrastructure with RACQ. Other industry groups invited to partner where Australia College of Surgeons, Queensland Farmers Federation, Local Government Association of Qld and Queensland Tourism Council. 

The statistics revealed in the RACQ Bruce Highway Report reveal that the Bruce Highway features in 8/10 top accident hotspots in the State. This is just not good enough for highway that forms part of the National highway network in Australia. 

In 2024, we have 1,398 kilometres of the Bruce Highway (from Gympie to Cairns) that is still single-lane and undivided, leading to an average ‘per kilometre travelled’ crash rate three times higher than rural sections of the Pacific Highway and five times higher than rural sections of the Hume Highway. 

With the the Bruce Highway serving as the backbone of this State, and a supposed National Highway, but compared to the Pacific or Hume, it’s substandard. We need a 10-year funding commitment from the State and Federal Governments to continue upgrading the Bruce Highway by widening narrow sections and bridges, installing more overtaking lanes, and installing decent truck rest areas every 200km. There need to be a future-thinking focus on progressively duplicating the road to a dual carriageway standard, like the Hume and Pacific Highways in NSW and Victoria. 

Bold investment decisions are needed to make this key freight route safer for our truck drivers who are providing an essential service to the State 

To achieve this, the Federal Government needs to restore the 80-20 funding split for Queensland – it is time for Queensland to get a fair go. 

Bold investment decisions are needed to make this key freight route safer for our truck drivers who are providing an essential service to the State. 

The Federal’s Government commitment to bring forward the $1B funding for the Inland Freight Route was an indication that our advocacy voice is cutting through in Canberra. The commitment to an 80%/20% funding split with the State government was particularly good news. The work has already started but will also need further capital injections. The upgrade of this route will be of significant economic value to Queensland. 

Workforce and Skilling 

QTA have been very busy this year on the front foot in developing practical training programs to get a new pipeline of people industry aware and job ready. Programs include our Get in2 Transport and Logistics programs for High Schools, new pre-apprenticeship program Driving Townsville’s Future and our Heavy Vehicle Safe Driver Program is providing mentored training for newly licenced drivers. These programs are growing momentum and being recognised as industry leading programs in Australia. Angela Mottram has also established herself in her role as Workforce Advisor undertaking Workforce Planning consultation with a broad cross section of the industry. This is an area that is growing in need as all businesses are endeavouring to address workforce challenges and labour shortages. 

Events 

We have been up and down the State this year holding our Regional Road Freight Forums connecting industry to road manager stakeholders to foster better working relationships and more understanding of how productivity and efficiency gains can be achieved. 

Strong support was again seen with sold our Diversity in Transport Events in Brisbane and Townsville and our Annual Golf Day proving to be the most in-demand event of the year! 

Our membership is spread widely across the state and cross borders, and we have a commitment to look after you wherever you are in the country as best as we possibly can. 

RFIA Dinner

I would like to acknowledge the success of our recent Road Freight Industry Awards celebrated on 21 September. Supported by Event Partner, TWUSUPER, we had 450 guests in attendance which made for an excellent night. From the moment the people stepped into the Plaza area of Royal International Convention Centre, they knew they were in for a special night. Guests were surrounded by impressive trucks presented by our members celebrating business milestones and latest model DAF from Brown and Hurley.

The Award Winners and Finalists acknowledged on the night were all truly a fine representation of the calibre of people we have in this great industry. Congratulations to all those who took home Awards and your fantastic acceptance speeches.

Thank you to all our members who attended, we truly appreciate your support.

My sincere appreciation to all the Event Sponsors - TWUSUPER, Transurban, BP, Brown and Hurley, Cummins, MAN and Volvo Trucks Australa. Your support is greatly appreciated. Also thank you to all our Platinum, Gold, Silver, Innovation, North Queensland sponsors who continue to invest in the QTA. Also, thank you to Health and Wellbeing Queensland who were the sponsor of the new Health and Wellbeing Award,

Photos from the Event can be viewed here.

Staffing 

Earlier in the year we welcomed Rhiannon Dickenson into a Project and Membership Support role. Rhiannon looks after the HV Safe Driver Project and the First on Scene Project.  

Today, however, we bid farewell to Frances Schafer our NQ Membership Development Officer. Frances has been with the QTA almost 5 years and has been a great contributor to the organisation, and particularly the NQ Road Freight industry. Traversing the State between Gladstone and Cairns, covering many kilometers by road and air, Frances has established a great repour with her NQ family and no doubt will be missed. 

We wish her well in her new adventures, but we know she will still be well connected in with industry. 

We are undergoing a recruitment process and will advise you all when a replacement has been appointed.  

Safe travels 

Gary