Twiggy to shake up cattle industry with $50M investment

An initiative to celebrate and showcase diversity in trucking has received overwhelming support from industry members following its launch in December by the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and Teletrac Navman.

The Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Program is a ground-breaking initiative that will celebrate industry diversity, develop diversity champions, and improve industry image.

ATA Chair Geoff Crouch said that while Australia was experiencing a big shift in the perception of transport, there was TRUCKING INDUSTRY EMBRACES DIVERSITY PROGRAM

still a lot ground to cover when it came to diversifying the workplace.

“The ATA, Teletrac Navman and our member associations are driving diversity change and working hard to create more inclusive, positive workplaces,” he said. “Diverse workplaces are better workplaces, and it is time they are celebrated and embraced.

“Workplace diversity’s proven benefits include increased productivity, access to a greater talent pool, competitive advantages, and the development of more inclusive, attractive workplaces,” he said.

Participants in the 2020 Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Program will learn how to create change and facilitate diversity in their workplace and community, share personal insights, develop a marketing campaign that showcases diversity within industry, and develop a strong professional network with like-minded individuals.

Nominations for the Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Program can be made through ATA member associations or TruckSafe. Participants must be involved as an owner or employee in a trucking business that is a financial member of an ATA member association or TruckSafe. A participant could also be a direct member of an ATA association that offers individual membership.

New era for road safety research in WA T he University of Western Australia (UWA) has been awarded a five-year, $4.6 million road safety research contract by the State Government.

The Road Safety Council has tasked UWA with establishing the Western Australian Centre for Road Safety Research, to conduct planned and reactive research programs to reduce road trauma in WA.

The road safety research program is developed by a multiagency committee that is supported by the Road Safety Council and the Road Safety Commission. The Curtin Monash Accident Research Centre has held Western Australia's road safety research contract since December 31, 2014, which will expire on December 31, 2019.

For more information on how to participate contact the ATA or in WA – Western Roads Federation or Transafe WA or visit: www. truck.net.au/drivingchange

Keep left - This simple message will now be front and centre for international visitors who choose a road trip holiday in WA.

'Keep left' stickers produced by the Road Safety Commission, will be placed on the dashboard, sun visor or steering wheel of a hire vehicle to remind international drivers that in Australia, vehicles travel on the left side of the road.

Feedback from drivers on popular tourist routes such as Indian Ocean Drive and Caves Road has revealed that some visitors to WA may be confused about which side of the road to drive on when rejoining the road network while holidaying throughout the State. These 'keep left' stickers have been added to a suite of State Government resources to prepare international drivers for our roads. They will be used in conjunction with other road safety tools, such as: • Multilingual road rules booklet 'A Guide to Driving on WA Roads' in nine different languages; • Trial of multilingual 'keep left' road signs and directional road arrows on tourist routes; and • Inflight road safety video segment played to passengers arriving in Perth from Asia.

Subject to approvals, Lynas Corporation is set to build, a processing plant near Kalgoorlie that will deliver local jobs and provide a range of supply opportunities for small and medium businesses in the Goldfields.

The new plant will process rare earth materials from the company's Mt Weld mine, currently undertaken in Malaysia and is expected to generate approximately 500 construction and 200 ongoing jobs in the region.

Rare earths are a vital component in advanced manufacturing for the renewable energy, aerospace and defence industries, all of which are expected to experience rising demand. Western Australia’s rare earths industry is still expanding, in 2018-19 the State produced 29,000 tonnes valued at over $355 million, and experienced an increase of three percent in direct employment.

The Mt Weld Central Lanthanide Deposit is one of the highest grade rare earth deposits in the world, and a prime example of the State's globally-significant deposits of battery and rare earth minerals.