Big Rigs September 2021

FRIDAY, September 17, 2021

ONLINE www.bigrigs.com.au

EMAIL info@bigrigs.com.au 21 SH OWCASE D TRAIN ING CARE ER S AN SHOWCASE 21 CARE ERS AND TRAI NING CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE 21 CARE ERS AND TRAI NING SHOWCASE 21

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2 NEWS CONTACT US Address: 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Phone: 03 9690 8766 Email: editor@bigrigs.com.au Web: bigrigs.com.au Accounts: 03 9690 8766 Subscriptions: 03 9690 8766 Classifieds: 0403 626 353 Circulation and distribution queries: 03 9690 8766 info@bigrigs.com.au EDITOR James Graham: 0478 546 462 james.graham@primecreative.com.au REPORTER Danielle Gullaci danielle.gullaci@primecreative.com.au GENERAL MANAGER Peter Hockings: 0410 334 371 peter.hockings@primecreative.com.au MEDIA SALES CONSULTANT Marie O’Reilly: 0403 626 353 marie.oreilly@primecreative.com.au CLIENT SUCCESS Katharine Causer: 0423 055 787 katharine.causer@primecreative. com.au CONTRIBUTORS Truckin in the Topics: Alf Wilson, 0408 009 301 Brent Davison; David Vile; David Meredith; Mike Williams, Jon Wallis Big Rigs National Road Transport Newspaper is published by Prime Creative Media. It is the largest circulated fortnightly truck publication in Australia with 26,023* copies per fortnight. *12 month average, publisher’s claim November 2018

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Toll Global Express under new ownership TOLL Group has this month successfully divested its freight and freight forwarding arm, Toll Global Express, to private equity firm Allegro Funds.

First announced in April this year, the finalised deal also marks the start of Christine Holgate’s stint as CEO of the cut-throat parcels division.

The former Australia Post boss will now go head-tohead with her former employer now led by one-time Woolworths chief supply chains officer Paul Graham, who was also expected to start as CEO this month.

An Allegro media statement said a key component of the transaction was the $500 million funding package Alle-

gro secured to transform the business and separate it from Toll Holdings.

Toll Global Express has a suite of “high-quality” assets and is either number one or two in its core markets, which includes express parcel, freight delivery and domestic forwarding services in Australia, and transport and contract logistics services in New Zealand, the statement said.

The company serves more than 36,000 customers, employs over 8000 people and generates more than A$3bn in annual revenue.

The surge in online transactions since the emergence of Covid-19 points to the potential of Toll Global Express, the statement continued.

Allegro expects Holgate

Toll Global Express employs over 8000 people and generates more than A$3bn in annual revenue.

will “lead the transformation of the business, drawing on her deep logistics and executive experience, as well as leveraging Allegro’s turnaround processes and expertise.

“This includes working very closely with a number of Allegro’s operating partners

who are playing critical roles in transition, separation and interim executive and governance roles partnering with Christine and her management team.

“In recognition of the critical role all stakeholders will play in the future success of

the company, Christine has committed to a 100-day program of meetings with customers, business partners and employees.”

Allegro co-founder and managing director Adrian Loader has been appointed chair of Toll Global Express.

Entire Newell Highway now open to road trains

ROAD trains have now been given access to the entire length of the Newell Highway in a bid to help boost productivity.

All eligible vehicles up to 36.5m long and Performance Based Standards (PBS) Level 3 vehicles will now have endto-end access on the Newell, which Minister for Region-

al Transport and Roads Paul Toole describes as “a huge win for the freight industry”.

“This is a game changer for people moving product along one of our state’s most important freight corridors,” Toole said.

“We trialled this expanded road train access through the

drought and again through last year’s bumper grain harvest and we know it provides significant productivity and safety gains, potentially reducing truck movements by as much as 40 per cent.”

Toole added that gazetted access would now be available to all eligible vehicles up to

36.5 metres long along more than 1000 kilometres of highway including through Parkes, irrespective of the cargo carried.

“Parkes was the last section of the Newell where road trains were restricted but the trials we did with road trains to move fodder through drought and last year’s harvest has guided

this change,” Toole said.

“By granting road trains permanent access to the last remaining section of the highway without the need for a permit, it will improve the efficiency, sustainability and safety of freight transport in the region which is developing into an important freight hub.”

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

Give us a break on truck charges, say peak bodies

PEAK trucking bodies are calling for some relief from increased heavy vehicle charges next year.

In their submissions to the National Transport Commission’s (NTC) heavy vehicle charges consultation process, which closed on August 24, both NatRoad and the Australian Trucking Association say operators can’t afford to be slugged by another increase in registration and road user charges.

One option the NTC is looking to present to road transport ministers later this year for consideration is a one-off 16.5 per cent jump to be implemented in 2022.

“But this overall figure would include a 22 per cent increase in the road user charge and registration charge increases of 85 per cent for some vehicles,” said ATA chief of staff Bill McKinley.

“The ATA submission recognises that even large businesses struggle to increase their rates in line with CPI. “That’s why we are arguing that charges should increase 2 per cent in 2022-23, followed by a 3 per cent in-

The ATA submission calls for a fairer deal for double and triple road trains serving remote communities.

crease in each of 2023-24 and 2024-25.”

To maximise certainty for the industry and governments, the proposed charges should be set for the whole three year period covered by the determination, with the NTC publishing information for the industry and customers about how the charges will change as a result, added McKinley.

The ATA’s submission argues that trucking businesses should only be charged directly for major road projects that have been endorsed by an independent infrastructure agency such as Infrastructure Australia.

“At present, the charging system is entirely driven by governments’ spending decisions.

“It requires trucking opera-

tors to pay an outsize share of the cost of road investments that are not freight priorities and higher costs due to inadequate project assessment and selection,” McKinley said.

NatRoad chief executive officer Waren Clark said road charging reform must take into account all road users and provide a better, more equitable system for paying for the costs of road construction.

“Until the Heavy Vehicle Road Reform process is implemented, we support a fixed price increase of 3.5 per cent or CPI increase (whichever is lower),” Clark said.

“Our industry has suffered from the impact of bush fires, floods and now Covid-19, as acknowledged by transport ministers.

“These events and difficult industry conditions have constrained the industry’s ability to cope with increased costs, inclusive of government charges.

“The PAYGO model for heavy vehicle charges should only be used as a 2021-22 baseline on which to calculate future HV charges.”

Clark adds that the current PAYGO system assumes that all Australia’s roads are sealed when most are not.

“It operates to include all costs incurred in one year in the next year’s charges. Capital and current costs are not separated.

“And it results in payments flowing to states and territories that do not take into account the real cost recovery need for road construction and main-

tenance as that is related to heavy vehicle usage.

“A new model is needed to underpin the HVRR process. In the meantime, a fixed price increase is a better outcome than the application of the PAYGO or alternative models.”

The ATA submission also argues strongly against the NTC’s proposal to remove the community service obligation (CSO) discount in the charging system for double and triple road trains serving remote communities.

“The CSO for remote communities should not just be retained; it should be expanded as part of a whole of government response to the report of the House of Representatives Indigenous Affairs Committee on food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities,” he said.

“The updated PAYGO model is of great importance to the trucking industry and its members, which is why it is vital the new model achieve effective, value for money results for industry, governments and the community.”

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4 NEWS

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Gold Coast truck protest: ‘We got our message across’

BY JAMES GRAHAM

IT may have been over in less than an hour, but Gold Coast highway protest co-organiser Tony Fulton says he’s confident the ‘pro-choice’ vax message was delivered.

Fulton and fellow truckie Brock Holroyd disbanded their two-truck ‘blockade’ when they heard there was a horse truck caught up in the resulting line of traffic

backed up on the M1 near Reedy Creek.

Fulton said it was never their intention to stop traffic in the first place on August 30. They had set up barricades on the highway so motorists could exit the highway and re-enter on the other side of any trucks that joined them.

But he said police removed the barriers and forced their

High-profile truckie Tony Fulton explains his position to TV reporters during the dramatic stand-off at Reedy Creek.

hand earlier than anticipated under the glare of the mainstream TV media.

“They knew what they were doing, and as soon as it happened, we knew as well,” said Fulton.

“But we got our point across to be able to say what we wanted. If we’d made it more public [beforehand] we would have been stopped before we got there.”

Fulton said the protest action was timed to coincide with MP Craig Kelly’s reading in parliament of the No Covid-19 Vaccine Passports Bill 2021, which would make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of vaccination status.

Fulton, who boasts more than 100,000 followers on his Tones Truckin Stories Facebook page, had hoped supporters would contact their federal members to rally behind the bill that the controversial United Australia Party MP had dedicated to truck drivers opposed to mandatory jabs.

“Which a lot of people did, but it [the bill] fell on deaf ears and didn’t come

Fulton and Holroyd regrouped in Chinderah after being given their marching orders by Queensland police.

close to getting passed,” said Fulton.

“It just goes to show how much corruption and back-scratching is going on in parliament.”

Fulton said he was told by police on the Gold Coast that fines would be arriving in the mail, but at deadline for this issue, neither he, nor Holroyd, had received any.

Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon told the ABC he was con-

cerned that Fulton and Holroyd had tarnished the hard work of truckies around the country.

“We absolutely don’t support this type of action,” he said. It’s been a magnificent effort by the industry over the last 18 months, they’ve undertaken everything they need to do, all the testing, a bit of vaccination, even though it’s not mandatory.

“And in all that time, there’s only been a couple of

incidences, where there’s been a positive detection. And the most recent one, out there at St George, they turned out to be false negatives.”

Federal Employment Minister Stuart Robert told the Today show he felt sympathy for the drivers but disagreed with their methods.

“Truckies are important but if you want to make a point, great. Make the point, but don’t inconvenience thousands and thousands of

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

Fulton says he’s now rethinking his future as a truckie.

people,” Robert said.

“That’s why we have the National Plan, a national plan equals a national hope and gives us a road map that we can see, that’s why it’s so important to us all.

“We are so close, we can see ourselves getting there.

And truckies are important.

I get it.

“But we have to get stuff moving and we know truckies move around the place.

And we know public health is really important at the same time.”

Buoyed by messages from his online supporters, Fulton, however, says he’s far from discouraged and is looking at “other avenues’ to get the pro-choice message across, although says another blockade is unlikely.

When contacted by Big Rigs he said he was reconsidering his future as a truckie, although would continue to be involved in the Truckwiz app he helped create.

“Rather than taking political standpoints and getting involved in other blockades, I’m going to be working with other businesses and potentially charities who also sup-

port pro-choice.

“I do enjoy the farming fraternity so there might be something there. I haven’t worked out how yet, but my mind is starting to get a little bit clearer on how to help more people.

“If that means I can’t drive trucks any more, so be it.

I’ll look at other avenues in which I an still have a positive effect on the community.”

Fulton said he doesn’t believe being unvaccinated poses any increased health danger to himself, or the those he interacts with.

“I don’t believe so. From all the research that is out there, and the studies from overseas, it really [vaccination] doesn’t show much of a

bearing whatsoever.”

In a subsequent Facebook interview with political supporter, Senator Pauline Hanson, who offered to pay the truckies’ fines, Holroyd said his stand had cost him his job, but he would continue to spread the pro-choice message.

“I have a heart condition and a lung condition and I’m scared to get the jab and I don’ know much about it,” said the father-of-four with a large TikTok following.

“The way they’re forcing people to do it makes me not want to get it even more. I’m not anti-vax. If you want to get the vax, get the vax.

“Everyone should have their own choice. If you’re sick stay at home.”

Reader reaction Rikki Leach: It may only be 2 trucks 2 drive 45 minutes least they made a big statement can you imagine what 1000 trucks would do.

Jennifer L Colman: I can’t believe that these truck drivers have blockaded the roads for the sake of free choice! A bit contradictory, don’t you think!! Stupid whingers in my book.

Why can’t they blockade for better road conditions, better pay, better roadside facilities - all things that are relevant to trucks!!! Nope, not a fan of this protest. Get the jab and get on with it, you fools!!!

PS I am a truck driver with diabetes - yes of course I’ve had both my vaccinations.

Mark Eddy: Isn’t it funny that the essential workers ie nurses, police, etc aren’t protesting or blockading!!! Makes us all look like a bunch of wankers

Holroyd, right, and Fulton blocked the M1 for almost an hour before their hand was forced.

Jean Nentwig: They get tested every couple of days and one truckie said he gets tested every day.

What people are not realising is that it is not all about a vaccine, it is about this particular medical issue AND much more besides, namely people’s personal choice and freedom to choose. Those freedoms are being eroded bit by bit. If the Gov’t can

do that for one thing, they can do it for anything. Most are not anti-vaxxers who are protesting or just refusing to have it they have already said they have flu vaccines, the kids have their vaccines, yet they refuse to have this one. There are people who are Scientists, Doctors, Teachers, Lawyers, Paramedics, Firefighters and every other job description, not just truckies who are concerned about the vaccine AND what the Gov’t is doing. Bullying, Coercing, Bribing, Threatening....all things that can put regular people in jail for.

Axel Neumann: You need to get a licence to drive a truck, or is it your choice and right to pass an eye test.? GET VACINATED, ITS THE LAW! Jaidyn Bsttista: Hard to stay much longer with just 2 trucks. Easy to tow 2 trucks impossible to tow 1000 trucks at once.

Stand strong.

Pro choice not anti vax Lesley McNally: Originally it was supposed to be about access to food and amenities, and the total derogatory nature in which truck drivers are treated these days…..then the Anti-vaxxers came along and stole the show and turned it into a shitshow.

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6 COVER STORY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

300 reasons to celebrate

Having just taken delivery of its 300th Kenworth, Wickham Freightlines says its people have been key to its success.

BY DANIELLE GULLACI WHEN brothers Peter and Angus Wickham spent a pretty packet on a brand new Kenworth in 1978 to transport potatoes from their family farm, it marked the start of something big – and they didn’t even know it yet.

From potatoes, to refrigerated meat, farm produce and express freight, their transport operation grew and grew, until Wickham Freightlines was officially established in 1992.

Still family owned and operated – and now in its third generation – Wickham sits among some of Australia’s largest privately owned transport companies, with Peter’s sons-in-law Graham Keogh and Darren Eather at the helm, as company directors.

Keogh, 59, started with the business in 1980 at the age of 18 and went on to marry Peter’s daughter Donna in 1993. He began driving his first truck, a Kenworth K125, to transport potatoes

Hannah Keogh, Graham Keogh, JJ Hurley, Thomasin Roberts, Rohan Keogh and Tony Hurley pose outside the Warwick site with Wickham Freightlines’ 300th Kenworth.

JJ Hurley gets into the cabin of the new T659 at the truck handover.

to Coles Supermarket in Brisbane. At the time, the Wickham’s fleet had just five trucks.

By 1992, the fleet grew to 17 trucks and the business needed an operations manager, so Keogh stepped up.

His story is true of many in the transport industry, who have come in at a young age and built a rewarding career in an industry they’re proud to be part of.

At 14, Keogh began working at an abattoir, before moving into maintenance work for a transport company. But as soon as he could get his truck licence, he was off and running.

“My father was a truck driver, and so were my uncle and grandfather too. Trucks were a passion for me from the day I was born. From when I was about three, I’d get in the truck with Dad.

This industry has allowed me and my whole family to grow a business,” Keogh reflected.

“It’s been a fantastic journey really. The transport industry is a great industry to be involved in and there’s so much opportunity. This is a fantastic business to be part of – there’s always something happening.

“As I say to the guys I work with, if you’re at a barbeque and someone asks you what you do, don’t just say ‘I’m a truckie’, say ‘I’m a professional truck driver’. I encourage these young blokes to be proud of who they are and what they do. Some of them are absolute craftsman, and it takes a long time to learn that craft. That extends to other parts of the business too, not just the drivers. It’s the mechanics, operations staff, administration staff, depot staff – it’s our whole team.”

With a team of great people around him, Keogh has built Wickham Freightlines to over 400 employees (approximately 180 are truck drivers), with 160 trucks and 400 trailers, across five depots – Warwick, Brisbane and Bundaberg in Queensland, along with Sydney and Melbourne.

At the Warwick site, the company’s affinity for Kenworth is immediately clear, as the entire building is modelled on a Kenworth.

With continued growth has come a need to keep expanding the fleet. Keogh counts the purchase of the 300th Kenworth, a new T659, as a great achievement. Based at Warwick, it does the Melbourne run, carrying refrigerated freight in a road train set-up.

As with the first Kenworth in 1978, and every

other truck since, the new T659 was purchased from dealer Brown and Hurley, and was delivered in mid-August, with industry stalwart JJ Hurley handing over the keys.

“The people that work with us are part of the Wickham family, and the staff that work at Kenworth and Brown and Hurley are part of that too – and we take great pride in that,” said Keogh.

“We’re still a family business and it’s our family that are investing money into these trucks, so it’s a big achievement to be able to purchase our 300th Kenworth. When you sit in a board meeting, you need to be able to defend the fact that you’re buying Kenworths and not something cheaper.

The way I see it, Kenworth builds the best truck in the world and the toughest truck

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COVER STORY 7

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 on the planet. I couldn’t be happier with these trucks.”

In 2021, Wickham has ordered 30 new Kenworths – more than any other year.

“We generally keep our trucks for 12-15 years. That’s the secret of a Kenworth, you can keep that truck working for that long because that’s how reliable and tough they are. And after that, there’s still plenty of people who want to buy them. There has been a bit of growth this year, but it’s also been a good time to renew the fleet, with the current low interest rates and tax incentives.”

As it looks to the future, Wickham Freightlines is making a very conscious effort to attract more young talent into the business (and

the industry), through a range of targeted initiatives that promote the transport industry as being one filled with opportunity.

Among these is a new program being put on the table from next year. “We’ll be offering a number of fully paid university scholarships for interns coming into the business. It means young people can come and work for us, while we pay for their study. The courses could range from logistics, warehousing, or even a straight business course,” Keogh explained.

Those wanting to apply will need to send in a submission before the 2022 intake closes later this year, with a shortlist of candidates

THE PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH US ARE PART OF THE WICKHAM FAMILY, AND THE STAFF THAT WORK AT KENWORTH AND BROWN AND HURLEY ARE PART OF THAT TOO – AND WE TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN THAT.” GRAHAM KEOGH

progressing through to the interview stage.

“Wickham Freightlines is quite a big employer. These people are going to be able to walk out of university with a great job and no study debt. We’re hoping to expose more young people to what

Brown and Hurley legend JJ Hurley presents Graham Keogh with a ‘Club 300’ plaque.

this industry has to offer,” he added.

The HR team, led by Keogh’s daughter and human resources manager Thomasin Roberts, has also been visiting local schools to discuss careers in transport and logistics.

As Keogh explained, “We’re trying to expose these students to what the job really is. A lot of people don’t really know what it takes to run a transport business and don’t understand that there’s so much more behind the trucks they see on the road.

So, the other part of what we’re doing is trying to get young people to realise they can come in and we can teach them on the job. We’re also trying to attract kids that don’t want to go to school

Wickham Freightlines’ Warwick site is modelled on a Kenworth.

and get them to join the industry, either in the wash bay or in the warehouse. You don’t need a degree to build a great career in transport.

“There’s this expectation out there that people need to go to university to be something. I want to encourage people to look at the transport industry as a career choice. There’s so much more to this industry that people don’t see,” he said.

“This industry has been great to me and I’ve enjoyed almost every day of it. For me, this has been a 40-year journey. It’s a big thing for us to be bringing our own children into the business, because everyone wants the best for their children – so you really need to be sure that you’re on the right track.”

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8 OPINION

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Where has Barnaby gone?

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

APPARENTLY, we have a new federal transport minister, in case you hadn’t heard.

Goes by the name of Barnaby Joyce. He’s obviously been very busy coming to grips again with the portfolio he last held for three months from the end of 2017.

We’ve hardly heard a peep since he took over the reins back from deposed Nats leader Michael McCormack in June.

Maybe he’s been busy campaigning for a more unified interstate approach to border controls, and a less arduous testing regime for our truckies?

Let’s check his media releases. No, doesn’t seem to have been doing much of that.

Just the usual rhetoric around road funding projects rubber-stamped long before the name plates were changed on the Deputy PM’s office door.

At a time when the industry is crying out for leadership, what do we get from the Morrison government?

More of the same old paper-shuffling and finger-pointing at the state premiers.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

We need a driver-training system like they have in the US THE shortage of HC and MC drivers is a perfect storm. All the older drivers have retired or found an easier higher paying job or doing reduced hours in more modern trucks.

So, the knowledge and availability for this knowledge to be sourced for training is being lost. Let alone some of the people in the industry that are driver trainers who use anyone trying to get a HEAVY VEHIVCLE LICENCE as a CASH COW.

Some states charge fair and reasonable rates for driver training and others like SA treat people as wallets ready and ripe for the plucking.

I have experienced this first-hand and have given up on upgrading my licence to gain work due to the sheer cost and time with a very high failure rate and a large expense with an almost zero return on costs and time outlaid.

The driver trainers put a large impost and expecta-

tions on the person sitting for the licence and some of the things and places they expect you go and do even seasoned truck drivers would question.

We need a system of training a bit like America where you go to school for a full week or two to get your head around what is expected of you to pass the test and maybe some job outcomes at the end with mining companies and contractors.

Maybe some real-world

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tests picking up livestock on outback roads or shifting stock for big cattle stations carting water material around on mine sites.

This would give you the hours in the seat and time to get the experience and you use retired or drivers who are nearing retirement to be mentors to run you through everything and pass on the knowledge.

This would increase the availability of drivers ready for the workforce and any

potential employer could see by their results how good they are.

Just a thought, but the way things are becoming with insurance and any company trying to hire new inexperienced drivers the cost out way any chance because if your company is running thin on cash flow and the insurance company finds out then the cost just go off the scale.

Just recently I put in for a job and had to do a med-

ical then the left field WTF popped up in the medical process taking bloods.

This has never been done before I found out why they were looking for an excuse not to hire people as in they were looking for cholesterol and high blood pressure which is hereditary, and medication has almost zero affect other than causes other problems long term.

Chris Sharp Clare, SA

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10 NEWS

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Tributes flow for beloved Senator Alex Gallacher

THE transport industry is mourning the loss of one of its staunchest lobbyists, Labor Senator Alex Gallacher, who died late last month at the age 67.

As a dedicated TWU official, branch secretary and national president, and later a senator serving in the nation’s parliament, the one-time truckie never forgot where he came from, say those who knew him best.

“There’s no smoke and mirrors, just plain talking, hardworking employees and employers alike, in a tough competitive industry that works harder than most people imagine and continues to work while most people are asleep,” Senator Gallacher said of the transport industry in his maiden speech.

It was an attitude he learned as a truckie, and it stayed with him in Parliament, even after his lung cancer diagnosis in December 2019.

“Through his illness he never wanted to stop,” said Ian Smith, a close friend who holds Senator Gallacher’s old role as secretary of the TWU’s SA/NT branch.

“He didn’t go there [to

His passionate advocacy for safety and fairness in transport rang around the Senate. Photo: Senator Marielle Smith Twitter.

WA Senator Glenn Sterle with good friend Alex Gallacher: Photo: Glenn Sterle Facebook.

Canberra] to do nothing, he went there to make a difference.

“His beliefs will remain a driving force in our fight for transport workers’ rights.

Today we make a promise to Alex, his family and friends to continue to fight on in his honour.”

His passionate advocacy for safety and fairness in transport rang around the Senate, and he did not hold back when calling out the appalling abuse of workers, said the TWU in a

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also extended his sympathies to the senator’s loved ones.

“To all in the Labor movement and the caucus, particularly those from South Australia also, we extend our deepest sympathies to all of you,” he said.

“Senator Gallacher’s family also, on this terrible day, and may God bless him, may God bless all of you, and may our colleague and friend rest in peace.”

statement grieving the loss of “one of its greatest sons”.

“Alex was a staunch advocate for transport workers.

He fought tirelessly for truck drivers to receive safe rates of pay and conditions, and was no doubt proud to have been part of the Senate’s landmark report into the road transport industry tabled only last week.

Alex was dogged in his determination to see improvements to the industry that kept Australia moving.

Prior to question time,

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese paid tribute to his “no nonsense” colleague.

“Alex’s career was indeed a fine one. We in Labor are very proud of Alex. He was a conscientiousness, no nonsense man,” he said.

TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said transport workers, the TWU and the Parliament have lost a giant.

“Senator Gallacher was a straight-talking, no-nonsense, and hardworking man

prepared to speak truth to power to support workers.

Alex was someone on whom workers could always rely and was resolute in his belief that no obstacle should prevent working people from achieving their best.

“We are all poorer for having lost Alex.

“We extend our deepest condolences to his widow Paola, children and grandchildren during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with all TWU members and parliamentarians grieving the loss of a close friend and ally.”

WA Senator Glenn Sterle also paid tribute to the Senator on his Facebook page.

“Today I lost a very dear friend and brother in arms.

“A champion for the blue collar worker, Senator Alex Gallacher was always fighting the good fight. Alex was also a champion for common sense and fairness and had one of the sharpest mind’s in Parliament.

“I will miss his insight, his intellect, his nightly lectures in Canberra over a cider or a vino, and most of all, I will miss his friendship.

“Rest In Peace mate, you will be dearly missed.”

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12 SENATE INQUIRY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Road map for industry’s future Even if his report now gathers dust on Barnaby Joyce’s desk, Senator Glenn Sterle is confident he’s delivered an industry blueprint under Labor.

BY JAMES GRAHAM WA Senator Glenn Sterle wants to get one thing crystal clear about his newly tabled inquiry report into the road transport industry: the vast majority of submissions are all going down the same path.

“Something’s got to give; something’s got to improve,” he told Big Rigs.

The 231-page Without Trucks, Australia Stops probe that took two years to complete due to Covid-related delays, has input from 150 witnesses – 37 of those being truckies – with a further 128 written submissions, 58 of which were also from drivers.

Of the 10 comprehensive recommendations from the inquiry into the Importance of a viable, safe, sustainable and efficient road transport industry, Sterle said the only one that has his “fingerprints” all over it is the one about payment terms.

“I said it consistently all through the inquiry that I am old school and what is all this bullshit talking about 30-day payment terms. I reckon we should be paid COD.” Sterle, the committee chair, admits he was surprised about the lack of objections to the report when it was presented.

He said the only suggestion that seemed to cause a ruffle amongst government senators was that the industry needed to establish a Transport Advi-

sory Group to better inform the relevant state and federal ministers.

“They took offence to that which I found a bit strange.

That was the last one [point] I thought would get a bite. If it had been farming, they would have been falling all over themselves to tick it off.

“I can only put it down to the Minister; that would be Barnaby’s echoing there you would think. He’s the one who has to respond to it.”

Sterle, however, admits he’s not holding his breath that he’ll hear back from the Transport Minister who has been noticeably absent from road freight industry messaging since taking over Michael McCormack’s portfolio in the National leadership coup in June. His office had also not returned our request for comment on the report by deadline for this issue.

“I just think it will sit there [Joyce’s desk] and gather dust,” he said.

But Sterle is taking comfort from the fact that by the time the General Election rolls around in May, the industry now at least knows where Labor stands.

The Victorian Transport Association, for one, has already given the report the thumbs up.

“The VTA was pleased to contribute to the committee on the formulation of this report and we commend Senator

Sterle for leading a consultative and non-partisan review that has the safety, productivity and efficiency of the road transport industry at its heart,” said VTA CEO Peter Anderson said.

“Many of the suggestions the VTA made in submissions and hearings have been addressed, particularly around

Senator Glenn Sterle said all the industry wants is consistency and one national standard rather than premiers “doing whatever they want”.

The report recommends a system of demurage rates to help drivers recoup costs for waiting and loading times.

training, driver licencing and professionalism, setting higher standards and resolving disputes, and formally recognising the importance of our sector with a specific minister for freight and transport.

“Our key recommendation was forming a Transport Standards Commission to set minimum standards of operation for all road freight transport operators. As an independent administrative body, the com-

mission would focus on the standards of the road freight industry, specifically vehicles, training and contracts.

“Whilst not specifically addressed in this report, its recommendations create a framework for a future Transport Standards Commission which would establish a threshold for the coordination and harmonisation of an industry that is desperate for change.”

Sterle added that Covid-19,

The two-year inquiry covered the width of Australia and had input from 150 witnesses, many of whom are truckies.

The unanimous feedback from industry was for more consistency across all states.

and all the strains and stresses it’s placed on the industry with ever-changing testing regimes and border controls, has only highlighted the need for more direction and leadership.

“We have a Commonwealth; there should be one national standard, yet we have state premiers doing whatever they want to do.

“When all is said and done, all we want is some consistency.

“Yes, we are recommending one independent body [in the report], but as important as that is having a consultative committee made up of representatives of the transport industry. Men and women with skin in the game.

“Look at Gary Mahon [QTA CEO], Peter Anderson, Cam Dumesny [Western Roads Federation CEO] and Simon O’Hara (NSW Road Freight Association CEO] and the work they’ve done.

“These guys are moving heaven and earth. They’re taking the phone calls, they’ve got the relationships with the police. It’s just the politicians who are stuffing it up on the way through.”

The top 10 report recommendations are: 1. Independent body The government establishes, or empowers, an independent body that will, in consultation with industry, set universal and binding standards (including binding standards with respect to pay) which: • Ensure the safe performance of work and eliminate unsafe economic and contract-

ing practices; and apply to all road transport supply chain participants, including transport operators, online/ on demand operations, and workers (regardless of their employment or work status), and throughout supply chains.

The independent body shall also act as a dispute resolution body providing all road transport industry participants access to comprehensive binding dispute resolution capable of addressing all issues associated with, and general powers to resolve, disputes between some or all supply chain participants.

2. Payment terms The proposed initial priorities of the independent body should: • Ensure that all workers, whether owner drivers or employee drivers, are paid for all work time, including driving and non-driving time, and that any costs or efficiency dividends associated with this change are allocated fairly throughout the supply chain.

• Institute a system of demurrage rates to help drivers and operators recoup costs for waiting and loading times, and that any costs or efficiency dividends associated with this change are fairly distributed through the supply chain.

• Establish binding industry payment terms ensuring that all road transport workers and operators are paid in full upon-delivery.

Continued Page 14

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10/8/21 4:54 pm

14 SENATE INQUIRY

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Mandate heavy vehicle only rest areas, says report From Page 12

3. Enforcement The committee recommends that the government establishes an effective enforcement framework to ensure compliance with standards (including those established by the proposed independent standards-setting body) by: • Providing industrial and road enforcement agencies with dedicated enforcement frameworks and resources.

• Providing the Fair Work Ombudsman with resources to conduct a review of independent contracting arrangements in the road transport industry in order to eliminate sham-contracting.

• Providing the capacity for registered industrial organisations, such as trade unions and employer organisations, to carry out inspections and enforcement through transport supply chains.

• Compelling all road transport supply chain parties to disclose information about their contracting networks throughout their supply chain and provide such information to registered industrial agencies and enforcement bodies.

4. Licensing and training The committee recommends that the government works with state and territory governments (in consultation with relevant registered organisations of employers and workers) to: • Introduce a standardised, universal and compulsory safety induction unit for the road transport sector.

• Introduce an industry skills passport for recording these and all other induction and training credentials.

• Expedite the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers’ Meeting consideration of the Austroads review of the Heavy Vehicle Driver Competency Framework and licensing arrangements and implements the results as a priority.

• Develop a national apprenticeship scheme for the road transport industry.

• Work with Safe Work Australia and in consultation with industry representatives, to develop safe strategies for enabling 16- to 18-year-olds to train on forklifts.

• Implement incentive program for businesses that attract young trainees, women and people from disadvantaged backgrounds into the industry.

5. Crash investigations and data collection The committee recommends that the government: • Expands the powers of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau to carry out independent, no-blame safety investigations of road crashes involving commercial heavy

Western Roads Federation CEO Cam Dumesny makes a submission during a committee visit to Perth.

vehicles.

• Ensures all commercial vehicle crashes are recognised, treated and investigated as workplace accidents.

• Improves data collection on the incidence and causation of work injuries and illness for both employees and owner drivers across jurisdictions.

6. Roads and rest areas The committee recommends that the government: • Develops a set of national guidelines for town planners regarding road envelopes and other factors required to facilitate efficient and safe road-based logistics support in metropolitan areas.

• Identifies priority roads for dedicated and targeted road funding partnerships with relevant jurisdictions to improve the star rating performance of road infrastructure for all road users.

• Adopts national guidelines for the design and placement of heavy vehicle rest areas for major highways and significant freight routes.

• Work with all states and territories to mandate heavy vehicle-only rest areas.

• Supports a public education campaign that demonstrates why heavy vehicle drivers must have access to designated rest areas.

bution Agreement (BDA) and the operation of the wholesale cash system and the relationship between the Reserve Bank of Australia, the BDA and approved cash centres.

• In consultation with industry participants, investigates the creation of national operating standards, accreditation and licensing scheme for the cash-in-transit industry.

The report recommends the introduction of a national apprenticeship scheme. Photo: HVIA

• Increase the allowable vehicle and combination dimensions for heavy vehicles to allow for additional driver amenities.

• Establishes a national fund to assess, maintain and upgrade freight road in rural and regional areas, to meet the minimum frequency

and quality of heavy vehicle rest areas contained in the national guidelines and to support the rolling out of low-cost safety infrastructure such as rumble strips, green reflectors, wider medians and improved road shoulders.

• Establishes an independent national regulator to set

The committee recommends the adoption of national guidelines for the design and placement of heavy vehicle rest areas for major highways.

commercial vehicle charges including toll road and port charges.

7. Telematics The committee recommends that the government: • Funds an education and awareness campaign around the benefits to small operators of the use of telematics devices, both in safety and efficiency.

• Ensures that all such telematics and other technologies meet strict guidelines designed to protect drivers’ privacy.

• Ensures that legislative and regulatory systems are reviewed to prepare for the emergence of automation and ensure that the risks and challenges which it may present to workers are effectively mitigated.

• Through the proposed independent standards-setting body provide cost-recovery rate allowances for the takeup of telematics and other safety critical technologies.

8. Cash-in-transit The committee recommends that the government: • Reviews the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Banknote Distri-

9. Ratings systems, effluent disposal and fatigue The committee recommends that the government: • Develops an industry wide market-based ratings system to incentivise best-practice in the industry.

• Ensures all current and future government contracts with a road transport component are only awarded to road transport operators with the highest standards of industrial and road safety compliance throughout their operations and supply chain.

• Develops a plan and sustainable funding mechanism for establishing managed roadside livestock effluent disposal sites on key livestock freight routes in Australia.

• Amends national laws to incorporate an appropriate fit for purpose national framework for managing fatigue; and appoint a dedicated Minister for Transport.

10. Advisory group The committee recommends the establishment of a Transport Advisory Group or commission that: • Consists of members from the transport industry and unions.

• Functions as a consultative and advisory body for ministers responsible for the infrastructure, transport and road freight portfolios.

• Meets regularly to facilitate ongoing dialogue and provide updates on matters of importance to the road transport sector.

For more details and to read the full report, visit parlinfo.aph. gov.au and search for Without Trucks Australia Stops.

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16 FEATURE

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

21-up for husband-andwife team

Chris and Fiona Bourke have the winning polish on a business they started from humble beginnings.

BY DAVID VILE IN any endeavour in life, to reach a milestone of 21 years is quite an achievement, and in the case of Chris and Fiona Bourke of Complete Body Craft (CBC), who have built their business up into a highly regarded truck smash repair business over the last two decades, it is an achievement they can be well proud of.

Getting trucks repaired and back on the road and preparing new trucks for delivery has become a major focus for their operation which is based at Rutherglen in north-east Victoria, ideally located near the Hume Highway corridor and larger centres such as Albury-Wodonga, Wagga and Shepparton.

CBC was initiated in 2000

by Chris, who, as a qualified panel beater and spray painter had the dream to go out and have his own workshop, repairing firstly cars and then trucks as the workload increased.

“We were in a little shed which we had a lease on for 10 years, but we outgrew it in two, and we have grown from there,” said Fiona.

“The focus was always to be both cars and trucks, the aim was to offer a service to the community with cars and then Chris has a natural interest and passion for trucks as his father was a truck driver - the focus was always both.”

The growth of the CBC operation has been a steady one, with a relocation to a larger workshop in 2002 and the addition of the truck repair division including a spray booth in 2004.

Further upgrades to the truck repair section were undertaken in 2010 and the business is currently in the process of installing another spray booth to help manage the workload. With 17 full-time staff now on the payroll the business handles everything

from towing and recovery work to smash repairs, custom painting, and new truck fit outs.

The business has over the years built up a customer base over a wide geographical area when it comes to putting new trucks on the road, with large and small fleet operators calling on the CBC operation to prepare their trucks for the highway.

“We can design paint schemes, prepare the vehicles and do their livery, organise the stainless steel and light-

dealers in Shepparton, Melbourne, Wagga and Coffs Harbour, Gippsland - a lot of the time our work is word of mouth, the truck may come via the dealer, but the customer has asked for it to come here.”

Private customer work also contributes to the workload, with the CBC team also servicing larger transport operations, and with Rutherglen located at the southern end of the Riverina, work is also carried out for a number of farming enterprises which run trucks as part of their business.

Fiona and Chris Bourke from Complete Body Craft.

The CBC team celebrate the milestone with ‘Bluey’ the Kenworth tow truck.

ing, and do the signwriting in house. We have an arrangement with the owners of the trucks and the dealers as well, it’s a three-way arrangement, we do minor and major repairs - for the dealers if a truck has been traded in, we will repaint it for example,” said Fiona.

“Albury-Wodonga is not the only focus, we work with

Complete Body Craft offer the full range of services including towing.

Tow trucks are a key part of the business which work on an on-call basis, with a tilt tray based at in Rutherglen, another over the Murray River in Corowa with all the heavy lifting done by ‘Big Bluey’, a Kenworth T650 which predates the CBC business by a decade.

“We do insurance and me-

chanical breakdown work, and the Kenworth with its Detroit engine has all the power it needs to do the job. We can go anywhere over Australia - you work in with the other towing companies because things have to be moved off the roads quickly and salvaged to get the roads open, a lot of us work in together,” Fiona explained.

Away from the workshop, balancing the workload is also a key consideration in terms of quoting planning and booking jobs in which time considerations are a factor, “It doesn’t matter whether they are damaged or are new, they have to be out on the road working - obviously everything in the trucking industry has to be done yesterday so it can be a high-pressure work environment. We try to book things in as much as we can to make sure things run smoothly but accidents big or small happen you have to have everything in a timeframe so things can get ticked off,” she said.

The CBC operation is also held in high regard by others in the automotive industry, having featured prominently in the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce annual awards over the last few years including winning Best Body Repairer (Passenger Vehicles Large Business) in 2017, Best Trade Towing Operator

(state-wide), Best Regional Accident Towing Operator and Best Heavy Towing Operator (state-wide)in 2018, and going back to back again taking out Best Heavy Towing Operator (state-wide) also in 2019.

With the company advertising for another spray painter and further upgrading the Rutherglen facility it would seem that Chris and Fiona are well placed so steer the business into the next 21 years.

“It has its ups and down with a few struggles but you get there, you just keep soldiering on; (Its involved) a lot of long hours, especially on Chris’s behalf but the years have just flown on and on,” reflected Fiona.

“It’s weird, we were talking about it the other day - it feels like it has gone quick. The quality and the workmanship we believe is what brings the customers back and it’s a huge satisfaction, and the staff working on the trucks get that satisfaction too.”

SE P — OCT 2021

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18 READER RIGS

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Paul Haworth snapped a shot of this B&J Catalano Mack 200km east of Kalgoorlie.

Aaron Sonter shared a great shot of this Drain Transport rig, being loaded with melons out of Lakeland, Queensland – bound for Sydney.

Share your truck pics THE trucking game is as diverse as the terrain on which our truckies travel.

If there’s one thing we know many of you love, it’s a good looking rig – and sometimes life on the open road brings some golden photo opportunities.

The Big Rigs #PicOfTheDay competition is a chance

to share your best snaps through our Facebook page (@BigRigs). We’ll choose a weekly winning shot to feature as our Facebook cover photo and a selection of the best pics will be featured in the next edition of Big Rigs Newspaper.

So get snapping and keep those great pics coming!

This Kenworth T909 makes a pitstop on its way to Alice Springs.

Thanks for sharing Maddy Christie.

Wayne Agius of Agius Haulage in WA shared this ripper shot and message, “Dad said it, Cummins said it – run hard, dream big.”

Nicholson & Page Transport truckie Owen M Weir got this great shot under the Big Dunlop Tyre as he was crossing the SA border at Yamba.

When Beau Lux woke up to this one morning in Brisbane, he couldn’t resist the photo opportunity.

John Cavenagh and his Kenworth brace the Tanami Desert, 120 kilometres east of Yuendumu, NT.

Rhys Hayes snapped this great shot at the Sea Lake silos in Victoria.

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* Calls from Australian landlines are generally free of charge whilst calls from mobile phones are typically charged based on the rate determined by the caller’s mobile service provider.

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20 NEWS

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Inductees welcomed into Wall of Fame at reunion

VIVA Energy Australia has proudly welcomed over 70 new inductees into the Shell Rimula National Road Transport Wall of Fame, recognising and championing the achievements of the road transport community across Australia.

After a year’s absence, the 2021 National Road Transport Hall of Fame Reunion marked a return of the annual event to acknowledge the dedication and commitment of individuals within Australia’s transport industry.

Held on Saturday, August 28 at the Road Transport Hall of Fame in Alice Springs, the rebadged reunion now known as The Australian Festival of Transport, celebrated over 70 of Australia’s trucking heroes for their lifelong commitment to the road transport community.

Given the current lockdowns and border closures, however, the inductees were awarded and recognised via a virtual event with only a few Alice Spring locals in attendance on the day.

Nick Lubransky, Marketing Manager Transport Lubricants, Viva Energy Australia (the Shell

General manager Nick Prus welcomes guests to the rebadged event in Alice Springs. Photo: Facebook

brand licensee in Australia) said the road transport community is an incredibly important part of Australia, as we have seen during the pandemic.

“Viva Energy is proud to be able to continue supporting the individuals in this community through our partnership with the Shell Rimula Wall of Fame,” he said.

The Road Transport Hall of Fame is celebrating its 20th year of Wall of Fame inductions, and Shell Rimula is proud to be partnering again this year to celebrate Australia’s transport

Ross Fraser was recognised as an icon of Australia’s road transport community this year.

community and recognising influential members of the industry, Lubransky added.

Last Name Fraser Anderson Anderson Anderson Anderson Anderson Antonovich Armstrong Ashton Bairstow Baldwin Baskett Birrell Brereton Bunge Causley Campbell Canny Cherote Curran Curran Davis Douglas Eades

First Name Ross Graeme Diane Stephen Harold Johannes Joseph Michael Peter Terrence William Lynnette Darryl Leonard Barry Norman Ronald Rodney George Paul Dennis Ian Terry Colin

Last Name Faoro Flanagan Forbes Fox Franklin Gleisner Guymer Hay Herrmann Hickey Hoad Hobbs Hofen Hyland Jackson Johnson Jones Keune Leach Lee Liddle Madgwick McKinnell Medley

First Name Vic Barry Tom Murray David Stephen John Eve Trevor James Mark Kenneth Dennis Lyle Dennis Brian Dennis Andre Francis Fred Milton Jack Robin Brian

The event welcomed 70 new names to the Wall of Fame.

Last Name Nicolson Newton Pace Parkinson Preston Purtill Rasmussen Rasmussen Ross Salisbury Savage Sheppard Shimmin Snippers Soullier Steinhardt Stoitse Sutton Thorn Thurecht Vaughan Wall Williamson Wilson Wyton

“We are excited to acknowledge such an important community and recognising those individuals that have shown a lifelong commitment to the transport industry.

and the Road Transport Hall of Fame has supported this special occasion, and we are thrilled to continue this partnership and welcome all 2021 inductees.”

Congratulations to all inductees, and to Ross Fraser, who was recognised as an icon of Australia’s road transport community this year.

“For 20 years, Shell Rimula

First Name Brian John Frank David Kevin Brian Marion Alan Spencer Lincoln George Anthony Alan Bernardus John Neil Peter David Frank Wallace Gavin Geoffrey George Fredrick Malcolm

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BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE 21

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

JOIN US.

Build a career that will drive you further. paccar.com.au/careers

SEE THE PACCAR CAREERS FEATURE INSIDE >

22 CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Supporting Australia’s growing freight challenge MINISTER’S MESSAGE SCOTT BUCHHOLZ Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport

I have been involved in the transport industry for most of my life. In Central Queensland and across the state, I sat behind the wheel and employed others who did.

While I can drive a truck and enjoy doing so, these days my focus – as the Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport in the Australian Government – is on driving public policy to support this vital industry. I want to see a safer, more efficient, more productive and more profitable industry.

More and more Australians are becoming aware of just how vital it is. Covid-19 has exemplified the critical importance of our drivers. One of the challenges we have, that I believe is a great opportunity for our sector, is the challenge in getting young people into the industry.

Supermarket shelves can’t be replenished, new cars delivered to the dealer or export goods taken to port, our product does not get from paddock to plate and so on, without the dedication of truck drivers and those who support them. Including engineers, mechanics and manufacturers.

There is room for more to join this dynamic, growing industry. Not just as a job, but

A skilled workforce and strong training system are essential for Australia’s recovery from Covid-19. Photo: HVIA

as a rewarding career. I want to see more people sign on as professional drivers, to support our industry and the country’s growing freight challenge.

A skilled workforce and strong training system are essential for Australia’s recovery from Covid-19, our economic future and for critical sectors like road transport.

This is why the Austra-

lian Government is investing in measures such as the $1.2 billion Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements wage subsidy, to encourage employers to engage apprentices and trainees. Available until March 2022, the wage subsidy covers 50 per cent of an apprentice or trainee’s gross wages.

Employers and Group Training Organisations can

contact an Australian Apprenticeship Support Network provider for information on eligibility and how to apply. The nationally-recognised Certificate II and Certificate III in Driving Operations can both be undertaken via a traineeship across Australia.

In addition, JobTrainer is a $1 billion fund established jointly by the Commonwealth,

States and Territories to provide free or low fee training in areas of skill need for job seekers and young people, including school leavers.

The Certificate III in Driving Operations is eligible for JobTrainer funding in most jurisdictions, as prioritised by the State or Territory Government, as is training in related such as supply chain operations and

automotive manufacturing and repair.

The Certificate II and Certificate III in Driving Operations are currently being reviewed by the Transport and Logistics Industry Reference Committee. Due to be completed in the coming months, this review is expected to result in updated qualifications becoming available before the end of 2021. The IRC’s work has included exploring more flexible and relevant training pathways to improve professionalism and safety in heavy vehicle driving.

Employers will be familiar with the names of these qualifications and the opportunities they offer to grow their businesses with more staff. For them, the important message is the significant funding on offer from the Australian Government, to help them do so.

I was once an employer in the transport industry in my home state of Queensland and I know the value of this financial support would provide in attracting a younger workforce and helping to train them for the future.

For those thinking of a new career, this could be it. You should jump right in. Safe in the knowledge there is strong Government support for training and equally strong prospects for an enjoyable career in this vital industry for many years to come.

There is more work to be done in this area and I look forward to continuing to hear feedback from those on the frontline. From industry groups, drivers, training organisations and so on, so together we can advance changes to better support the growth in the transport sector.

It’s time to overhaul the traditional training model TRAINING ADVOCATE TODD HACKING CEO of Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia

ALBERT Einstein is credited as saying “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

It is time to view the traditional Vocational Education and Training (VET) model as bordering on insanity.

As well intentioned as the

VET system is, HVIA members are reporting a huge and concerning skills shortage across the breadth of the heavy vehicle industry.

These concerns are validated by the statistics. An analysis of the occupations on the National Skills Commission’s Skills Priority List (SPL) identifies 57 occupations as being in a “shortage” and with a “strong future demand.”

That is 57 high-priority occupations that need an immediate policy fix.

Of the 57, HVIA has identified seven occupations that are jobs routinely used in the heavy vehicle industry. These include welders, transport

engineers, and sheet-metal workers for example.

There are an additional twelve heavy vehicle industry occupations in the next band of urgency; jobs such as automotive technicians, diesel mechanics, fitters and turners, panel beaters, and vehicle painters.

Within the context of a skills shortage, it is concerning to find that the success rate for VET students to gain a job post training is just 36.2 per cent of students, where the student was not already employed prior to undertaking the VET training.

This is according to a report undertake by the

National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), which further highlighted a 10 per cent decline in this metric from its 2019 report.

The VET system was largely designed in the 1970s.

HVIA would contend that a 36 per cent success rate of post-training employment is alarmingly low. Our concern is noted and shared by the Productivity Commission’s Shifting the Dial Report.

Yet, despite a declining success rate, the system persists with its rigid, inflexible, outdated model.

Sending VET students to their work placement just

one-day-a-week, whilst completing their educational requirements at school, robs them of consistency and repeatability and struggles to build momentum in their new working environment.

Additionally, the student - particularly in a heavy vehicle sense - is often unable to start and complete a task in a single day, which impacts the sense of achievement for the student. This sense of accomplishment is an important element for any impressionable young person considering their future career options.

Industry also struggles with this model, as they

spend too much time repeating site specific and basic safety requirements to a student who lacks the familiarity of the workplace, impacting productivity.

It is not their fault; it is the rigidity and inflexibility of the system which is letting them down.

The heavy vehicle industry affords an opportunity for an amazing career, with opportunities aplenty. If we want students to consider it, we need a flexible, responsive, modern VET system that maximises their opportunity for success.

The current model is not it - and it is time for action.

CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE 23

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Diesel technician now at the helm

GENERAL manager at Hallam and Bayswater Truck Centres and TRP Pakenham, Matthew Keene, has turned his passion for engines into a rewarding career, that’s covered mechanics through to management roles, and everything in between.

The son of a truck driver, 36-year-old Keene grew up around trucks in New Zealand, often riding in the passenger seat. And in fact, it was his father who steered him in his chosen career direction.

“At the start, I wasn’t particularly interested in trucks, but I loved engines. I was thinking about getting into cars, but he asked if I’d considered trucks.

He saw Cummins New Zealand had an apprenticeship opening for a diesel mechanic.

He persuaded me to apply and I got the job,” said Keene, and that’s where it all started.

After completing his apprenticeship and working as a qualified diesel technician for Cummins, Keene headed across

the ditch to Australia. Though it was only supposed to be for a year or two, joining the PACCAR Dealer Network has provided a career that he truly enjoys.

“When I came to Australia, I ended up working for the heavy rail industry as a design engineering draftsman. With my passion being engines, I wanted to get back into diesel mechanics,” revealed Keene. “And that’s when the Hallam job came up.”

Working within the PACCAR Dealer Network brings with it many benefits, including the close partnerships these dealerships enjoy with a major truck OEM. “Because it’s a local product that’s built in Australia, technicians in the PACCAR Dealer Network get the opportunity to work at the Kenworth and DAF factory in Bayswater, Victoria. It’s great to be able to work with the factory engineers on product development too,” said Keene.

His career with the PACCAR Dealer Network started when he secured the role of afternoon shift leading hand at Hallam Truck Centre. He was then asked to move onto the day shift as workshop foreman, and then progressed to workshop controller.

Fuelled by his ambitious nature, Keene was determined to keep climbing the corporate ladder. He progressed to workshop manager, then service manager for the Hallam Truck Centre Branch, before taking a slight step back to complete a Diploma of Business Administration.

“After completing the diploma, I came back as operations manager for the Hallam and Bayswater branches. Then most recently, I took over as general manager for the Hallam and Bayswater Truck Centres and TRP Pakenham, about nine months ago,” Keene said.

“I could’ve quite happily

Matthew Keene grew up around trucks and has a passion for engines.

continued as a technician as I liked fixing trucks and still do, but I’ve always been quite ambitious. I’ve been through most positions at the dealership and still enjoy getting out to the workshop and seeing what they’re up to.

“I’ve always wanted to do more and take on more, going through the positions that were made available. In this industry there’s always a new opportunity just around the corner, and that’s how it worked out for me.”

Keene counts an opportunity to work on the Kenworth production line, as part of the Kenworth Technology Program, as a career highlight.

The program runs regularly

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and PACCAR Dealers from around the country select technicians to take part.

“Through the Kenworth Technology Program, I got to work on the production line for a week, working with factory staff to build a truck from start to finish,” he said.

“There is a lot of opportunity in this industry if you’ve got the want and the drive. I don’t personally think there are any limitations. It’s a very natural progression to transition from the workshop into other areas,” Keene added.

“There is also a lot of variety too, our technicians get the opportunity to complete engine diagnosis and repair, including engine rebuilding

as well as all other major truck repairs.”

More recently, to help overcome a shortage of diesel mechanics, dealerships within the PACCAR Dealer Network have also been employing light vehicle mechanics and providing the opportunity for them to transition through to diesel qualifications.

Keene adds that Hallam and Bayswater Truck Centres are continuously taking on apprentices. Being affiliated with a major truck OEM like PACCAR means there are many training opportunities made available too.

“The onsite training is held at the Kenworth factory.

Because Kenworth is built in Australia and is known to be the premium truck product, our technicians have a great deal of pride in working on these trucks. It’s nice to be able to work on trucks that are built locally for Australian conditions.”

24 CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

In the driver’s seat of a rewarding career

Meredith Young’s career with PACCAR has seen her transition through various exciting roles.

She has been workplace health and safety manager at PACCAR Australia for the past 12 months.

THOUGH she didn’t always envisage herself in the trucking industry, now Meredith Young, 32, couldn’t see herself working anywhere else.

Joining PACCAR Australia in 2012 through its graduate program has delivered a wealth of opportunity. This has seen her transition from human resources roles, through to working with the manufacturing team – including helping to bring DAF truck production into Australia – and more recently being appointed as the workplace health and safety manager, a role she has now

held for the past 12 months.

While some are lured to the industry by their love of trucks and engines, for Young this wasn’t the case. “I wasn’t driven by trucks when I first started.

Yes, I thought it was an interesting industry, but it wasn’t something that I pursued necessarily. What I learnt once I joined PACCAR Australia is that this is a company that really invests in the development of its people and offers so many training and progression opportunities,” said Young.

After completing her Bachelor of Business Management,

majoring in Human Resources, Young applied for PACCAR’s graduate program.

What’s unique about the fouryear program is that it enables participants to transition into different roles within the business every 12 months. You don’t just sample working in a team – you become a critical member of it.

For Young, this meant starting out as a learning and development coordinator, then HR coordinator, moving into payroll, followed by being a human resources advisor, and finally moving into man-

ufacturing, before eventually taking on her current role.

“Graduates coming into PACCAR get a broad range of experience across the business in roles that may cover materials, purchasing, engineering, quality assurance, accounting, and so many more. They are also paired with a mentor from the executive group to assist them along the way,” explained Young.

“For me, in the beginning, the location of the Bayswater manufacturing plant was a big driver for me wanting to work at PACCAR. I’m from

Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, so to have a large employer in that area was very attractive to me. Since joining the business, the amount of opportunity I’ve had has been really great for me and my career. At PACCAR, they really put their trust in your skills and help you to succeed.”

For Young, this is exemplified through her diversity of roles. “Once I finished my human resources rotations, I was at a point where I wanted to better understand the operational side of the business and develop my leadership skills,” she said.

“I feel really lucky that I work for an organisation that allows you to challenge yourself and expand your skills while supporting you every step of the way. I’ve had brilliant leaders who really supported my development. They always ran through things with me, answered my questions and provided me with all the training I needed. They set me up with the skills I needed to perform my job. When I moved across to manufacturing, I didn’t have any experience in working with the production systems as I’d never used them before, so that was another area I had to learn.”

Her first foray into vehicle production came when she was appointed production supervisor, which focused on cab builds. Within just three months, she moved over to frame assembly, where the

number of people under her supervision was three-fold.

“Kenworth trucks have been built in Australia for 50 years, but I was lucky enough to also be a part of the team that brought DAF truck assembly into Australia in 2018.

On two occasions I got to take around 10 production staff and engineers to Eindhoven in the Netherlands to learn about the DAF build, and then to Leyland in the UK to learn about the second model that’s now built here. That was such an exciting project to be a part of,” Young added.

In addition to the in-house training and development offered by PACCAR Australia, the company runs a wide variety of other initiatives too.

Like numerous other employees, Young commenced her Graduate Certificate of Management through PACCAR, which was run onsite and funded by the company.

Those wishing to further their formal qualifications in other areas also have opportunities to do so. PACCAR sets you up to be successful later in your career, by exposing you to so many different departments and teams,” said Young.

“I knew quite early on that this was the company I wanted to work for and that this is the industry for me. I’ve loved the teams I’ve worked with, and all of the factory staff are just so proud of the product they produce. It’s so rewarding to be a part of that.”

CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE 25

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

An exciting journey for young PACCAR engineer

A graduate position 11 years ago has laid the foundations to a rewarding career for Bill Rakis.

FROM taking on a graduate position in 2010 at PACCAR Australia, Bill Rakis is now among the key engineers helping to shape the future of trucks for the company’s Kenworth and DAF brands.

Rakis has held the role of assistant chief engineer – embedded systems for around two years. “Embedded systems are everything to do with software on the trucks. It is a growing list, as more and more components are electronically controlled,” he said.

Rakis’ embedded team of seven is part of the PACCAR embedded team of over 300 embedded engineers, “My team works across the timezones integrating and developing software for Australian Kenworth and DAF products.

Australia has unique demands when compared to the rest of the world and therefore we have a local engineering team to develop products and

solutions unique to PACCAR Australia.”

Rakis says the opportunities afforded to him through PACCAR have been incredible. “I started off in a graduate program and was pretty quickly able to transition into other roles. Before joining PACCAR, I worked in Germany for a year. While it was really good and at the top of the automotive chain, the scope was quite narrow.

When I came to PACCAR, it only took six months to really start realising the amount of opportunity available to pitch an idea or a proposal and get your idea off the ground.

That’s definitely been the main highlight and was really important to me too.

“When I came into the business in May 2010, that was the year they were transitioning from the previous ADR emissions to the new. I came in as a product release

writer. As everything at Kenworth is customised and made to order, there’s about 6500 options over 13 models.

“The job of a product release writer is converting a customer order into corresponding parts to make sure it goes together in the plant.

“Kenworth at its core is a custom vehicle manufacturer, which creates a lot of complexity, so we created new automated systems to manage the complexity whilst keeping the customisation for our customers.”

From there, Rakis moved into the role of sales engineer, working with dealers and customers; then into IT as a business analyst, which also brought an opportunity to travel overseas; his next foray was as IT administration manager where he was tasked with looking after all of the operating and IT systems at the company; engine manager

was the next step; followed by R&D manager; before moving into his current role.

“It’s been quite a journey,” said Rakis.

For those considering a career in engineering, his advice is, “What I’ve found is that although you learn a lot in university, it’s just the start of the path. Look for a place that will allow you to explore what you’re good at and what you want to do – I think PACCAR is really good with that.

“I’ve always found that as an engineer, I really liked processing and dealing with information, I was always interested in how things come together, and that included people, opportunities and business proposals. That’s where I liked focusing my energy – and I’m glad I went somewhere that has allowed me to do that and really contribute to the business as well.”

Cahill Transport is Family owned and operated with an amazing history spanning 70 years.

We currently have various opportunities for Local & Linehaul Drivers/Forklift Operators.

HIRING

• • • • •

New and improved equipment National coverage - VIC/NSW/QLD/SA/WA/NT Long term opportunities Consistent Full Time Work Career Advancement and Training/ Upskilling Opportunities

To discuss our exciting opportunities contact 0459 900 608 or send your details through to sx@cahilltransport.com.au

26 CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE

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DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

DSE Trucks looks after owner-drivers

WITH so many stories about owner-drivers being taken advantage of or underpaid, it was a pleasure to be introduced to Sanjeewa Illangantilake from Stanhope Gardens in NSW. Illangantilake is the proud owner operator of a four tonne tautliner, and since the beginning of the year he’s been driving with a smile for DSE Trucks.

DSE Trucks is an Australian provider of dedicated trucks, that makes a conscious effort to really look after its drivers.

The ‘DSE’ stands for ‘delivering service excellence’, and you only have to take one look at Illangantilake to see that he is very much inspired by that motto. You can see it in the proud look on his face and in his immaculate truck.

So how did Illangantilake score his dream job at DSE? “Becoming an owner-driver in the trucking industry was a complete career change for

Since joining DSE Trucks earlier this year, Sanjeewa Illangantilake couldn’t be happier.

me,” he said. “After many years working in the telecommunications industry, with so much pressure from above and the ev-

er-increasing demands for unreasonable speed and cost-efficiencies, I needed a change. I wanted more independence in my profession, and I wanted to have my own business.”

Illangantilake’s determination and diligence saw a fast, successful transition to a truck owner-driver and, as soon as he had the keys to his treasured new four tonne tautliner in his hands, the next step in his new career journey was all about finding the right company to work for.

“When I saw that DSE were hiring, they sounded to me like they would be a great company to work for. They seemed to have a genuine commitment and respect for their drivers.

So, I thought I should try them out and see if all these promises were true,” Illangantilake explained.

He started with DSE at the beginning of this year and he’s still there and still happy – were

Easter Group Pty Ltd 73 Formation St, Wacol Easter Group, located in Wacol, provides time sensitive road transporting solutions to many companies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. .

We are a family owned business, operating since 1976.

We currently have the following positions available:

OPERATIONS ALLOCATORS (Brisbane based only)

You will be required to work on a rotating roster including Days-Nights-Weekends Previous Operations experience preferred.

MC LOCAL & LINEHAUL DRIVERS WANTED

(Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Based) Come and work for us as we are committed to: • Training and further education • Your safety • Maintaining an impressive Fleet On offer are permanent full time and roster positions including paid leave entitlements and public holidays. Drivers will need to be available to be scheduled for work falling across the 7 days of the week.

The successful Applicant will: • Hold a current MC licence (minimum two years) • Have knowledge of the HVNL and Load Restraint • Be professional • Be reliable

To apply for the Operations/Driver positions please contact Operations Manager or by emailing your resume to

WORKSHOP MECHANICS & TYRE FITTERS WANTED (Brisbane based only)

To apply for Mechanic positions please forward your resume to Workshop Manager via email to employment@kseaster.com.au

The owner operator has a four tonne tautliner and enjoys the professionalism and support offered

by DSE Trucks.

all the promises from DSE true? “Absolutely,” Illangantilake said. “DSE really does deliver on its commitment to its drivers. They are professional but really friendly, and really helpful too, such a joy to work with. And I have to say, the regular weekly pay is a big bonus.”

But what is it exactly that

makes DSE such a joy to work for? “In addition to their topshelf professionalism and driver support, DSE gives me great hours to suit my family lifestyle, including weekends when I want it, regular runs with regular customers, they pay fast, and they are completely Covidsafe top to tail. What more

could an owner-driver want?” explained Illangantilake.

With the word on the street being that DSE Trucks is hiring again, if you’re an owner-driver, Illangantilake has some advice, “Get your application in today, don’t wait and risk missing out – you just won’t find a better company than DSE Trucks.”

CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE 27

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Followmont puts staff first

FOLLOWMONT Transport prides itself on caring for their people and believe they are the key to their success.

There are a variety of roles and opportunities available, whether you are looking to drive a Mack, Kenworth or UD, to manage a branch, work in accounts, customer service or work in the workshop or warehouse, Followmont could have the role for you.

But don’t just take their word for it, see what some of the Followmont Family have to say about working there below.

Darren Cartner - Local PUD driver in Brisbane “I have been here at FMT for 10 years. For me it is special working at Followmont as I have been able to fulfill my passion.

I have worked at a lot of different places but this one is very special to me. It has provided me with the freedom to do a variety of things in the way of charity work and look after specialised customers.

It has been a wonderful job, great team to work for and I am hoping to retire here, this

Working at Followmont has enabled Darren Cartner to fulfill his passion.

is where I want to be.”

Anne-Marie Ross - office manager in Townsville “It is being part of the family.

I have been part of the family beyond my 17 years. Even in my previous job I loved Followmont, they were always there for us then. And being able to have an opportunity to work for a company like Followmont I feel very lucky.

Coming to work every day is a pleasure; every day is different. I work with a wonderful bunch of girls that help each other out, they love doing what they do, and they love the variety.

It’s also the people that we do our jobs for, which is our customer, they make our days.

We have some special connections with our customers here in Townsville. It is a joy

Bitumen Sub Contractor TheTanker Opportunity

Fulton Hogan Transport currently have a vacancy for a tanker owner driver to join our transport team based out of Dry Creek in South Australia. Reporting to the WA/SA Transport Manager, your primary duty will be the transportation   of bitumen products to our plants and customers.

The Opportunity

Fulton Hogan Transport currently have a vacancy for a tanker owner driver to join our transport team based out of Dry Creek in South Australia.

Reporting to the WA/SA Transport Manager, your primary duty will be the transportation of bitumen products to our plants and customers.

to come into work and service them and care for them every day.”

Barb Morton – linehaul driver in Townsville “I like being a driver because you don’t do the same thing every day. It’s a bit of a change, if you get stuck in a rut if you are in town all day. You get to be out on the highway, and everything is different - each day

Townsville-based linehaul truckie Barb Morton loves the variety of work she gets while driving for Followmont.

is different. You have variety and you don’t get bored!”

That’s just a little snippet from some special team members about what it’s like to work for a business that cares for their team, customers, and suppliers.

So, don’t wait any longer, visit Followmont.com.au today to find out more about why they are Queensland’s favourite family-owned and family-operated transport business.

At Followmont Transport we care about our people and recognise that they are the key to our success

Set your career wheels in motion...

You will be Responsible for

Adhering to all Safety procedures to operate the Tanker Ability to work efficiently and effectively to deadlines

   

Accurate completion of all trip paperwork Work in accordance with all Fatigue Laws

You will be Responsible for • Adhering to all Safety procedures to operate the Tanker   • Ability to work efficiently and effectively to   deadlines  • Accurate completion of all trip paperwork • Work in accordance with all Fatigue Laws • Ability to work as part of a small team • Delivering hot bitumen to required sites and ensuring all safety regulations are adhered to during transportation Ability to work as part of a small team

Delivering hot bitumen to required sites and ensuring all safety regulations are adhered to during transportation

What we need from you?

Dangerous Goods License MC Driver License

Experience in the Asphalt industry an advantage

Willingness to travel and work away when required

White Prime Mover (Late Model) capable of towing a B-Double or Double Road Train

We Offer     

Continuous work Fulton Hogan Transport will provide training and all specialised PPE. Remuneration is paid twice monthly.

If you are willing to work the opportunity is there to develop a very profitable and sustainable business for yourself.

Fixed term cartage contract

What we need from you?

• Dangerous Goods License • MC Driver License • Experience in the Asphalt industry an advantage • Willingness to travel and work away when required • White Prime Mover (Late Model) capable of towing a B-Double or Double Road Train

Fulton Hogan Philosophy

We build and maintain critical infrastructure that connects and enhances communities across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Everything from roads and bridges, to airports and utilities. We're committed to ensuring the Good Work we do will make a positive difference to the quality of life for our people, our customers and the communities we all call home. Our continued success relies on generating new and diverse ideas, which is why our 'Good Work' culture encourages ownership and empowerment, while never forgetting the importance of balancing life's priorities.

We Offer • Continuous work • Fulton Hogan Transport will provide training and all specialised PPE. • Remuneration is paid twice monthly.

• If you are willing to work the opportunity is there to develop a very profitable and sustainable business for yourself.

• Fixed term cartage contract

Sound like you?

If this sounds like and you would like to help build on our Good Work culture, then we would like to hear from you.

In the First instance please contact Peter.Hug@fultonhogan.com.au WA/SA Transport Manager

Fulton Hogan Philosophy We build and maintain critical infrastructure that connects and enhances communities across Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. Everything from roads and bridges, to airports and utilities. We’re committed to ensuring the Good Work we do will make a positive difference to the quality of life for our people, our customers and the communities we all call home. Our continued success relies on generating new and diverse ideas, which is why our ‘Good Work’ culture encourages ownership and empowerment, while never forgetting the importance of balancing life’s priorities.

Sound like you?

If this sounds like and you would like to help build on our Good Work culture, then we would like to hear from you.

In the First instance please contact Peter.Hug@fultonhogan.com.au WA/SA Transport Manager

At Followmont Transport we care about our people and recognise that they are our key to success.

Whether you are looking for a local MC driver role or want to travel across QLD and NSW and get paid ot do it, we have an opportunity for you!

Call us today on 0439 219 378 or email recruitment@followmont.com.au to find out how you can join Followmont and be part of a winning team.

28 CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE

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DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE Big ambitions for high achiever

SEIZING an opportunity to focus on a lifetime career goal rather than following a traditional study pathway was a big risk for Taylah Heinrich, but it’s well and truly paid off.

Just six months into a school-based traineeship studying a Certificate III in Business, Heinrich stepped into a role as the new spare parts controller at McColl’s Transport’s Geelong workshop after proving herself to the fleet team.

“Taylah displays an absolute willingness to give anything a go even if it is outside the scope of her skillset at the present time and this is why she is exceeding in her role,” said fleet improvement and data manager Cameron Kos. And this all part of Heinrich’s master plan, as she hopes to one day go out on her own.

“I’m just trying to add more tools to my toolbox by gaining as much knowledge as I can so one day I can start my own transport company,” she said. ‘’I have a real passion for the industry as I’ve been around transport since I was

Taylah Heinrich hopes to one day run her own transport business.

a kid. My dad was a truck driver and my mum worked in freight forwarding.”

Not one to take the easy road, Heinrich loves the challenge of her role. “It’s never simple. There is always a challenge being thrown at me, pushing me to see what I can achieve.”

This may well be one of

the many reasons she was recently awarded Victorian Group Training employee of the month in August.

The role has seen Heinrich working at both the Geelong and Altona facilities – helping with new systems, investigating if something isn’t working and finding solutions or alternatives.

SUPPORTED BY

Influencing the younger generation LYNDON Watson, CEO of Don Watson Transport, reckons young interstate driver Jess is a classic example of the opportunities open to new recruits in the industry.

She quickly found that driving semis isn’t the “toughguy” role she thought it might be and is loving the freedom and flexibility of life behind the wheel can offer.

“She’s still relatively new to Watson’s but she’s doing an awesome job,” said Watson.

“There isn’t a part of the interstate truck driver role that she can’t do easily. This isn’t the tough guy industry like it was back in the 80s.”

Watson believes the key to attracting more youngsters like Jess lies in the industry doing a better job at selling itself to prospective employees while they’re still in high school.

“While they’re still thinking of what they want to do as they’re shooting past Year 8, 9 and 10, we need to get these kids dreaming about becoming a truckie.”

In the last couple of years, Don Watson Transport, which has depots in Victoria, NSW,

New recruit Jess is loving the freedom and flexibility of life as an interstate driver with Don Watson Transport.

and Queensland has engaged with local high schools during truck week, giving students an opportunity to visit the company’s HQ on the outskirts of Melbourne.

But Watson would like to see social media playing a bigger part in recruitment.

He’s seen the impact that Instagram influencers have in bringing aboard new recruits in the US and believes a similar approach needs to be adopted here.

“The social media influencers we have in Australia are more of the old guard that are vocal on Twitter, but I’m not sure they’re accessing the younger groups in a persuasive way.

“We need everything sold to them in Year 8 and 9 – and the information given to school career advisors – that being a truck driver is a well-paying professional job that’s open to a broad and diverse range of people.”

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Permanent HC/MC Short Haul Drivers

Permanent MC Long Distance Drivers

Based: Fraser Coast, Gympie & Brisbane

Based: Fraser Coast, Gympie & Brisbane

We are currently seeking experienced full time HC or MC drivers for our Short Haul Fleet based from Maryborough, Brisbane or Gympie Qld. General freight experience required.

We are currently seeking experienced full time MC drivers for our Long Distance Fleet based from Maryborough, Brisbane or Gympie Qld. Long Distance runs mostly to NSW, VIC, ACT and North Queensland.

General freight experience required.

Richers Transport operates the company's head office in Maryborough Queensland.

Our company is a prominent carrier into the Wide Bay region, established since 1935.

All drivers are paid under the terms of our Collective Agreement. Trip rates plus pick up and drop fees are paid. Drivers are paid weekly and superannuation is paid at 10% of OTE. Applicants are required to hold a current, appropriate class licence. Applicants must provide a 5 year traffic history printout.

Applicants will undergo previous employment checks. Our company has a strong health program and consent for drug and alcohol testing is a mandatory condition of employment.

If your skills and experience match the criteria, please email hr@richers.com.au or call 07 4121 2525 during normal business hours.

I WANT YOU FOR DON WATSON’S

Driving for Watson’s offers young Australians the freedom to get out on the road and keep Australia moving. No matter how old you are, or how you identify, we pride ourselves on the diverse range of individuals driving for Watson’s.

Email me direct, and lets chat about what we can do.

Lyndon Watson - Lyndon@donwatson.com.au

30 CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE

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DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Wodonga TAFE’s free OzTruck app is now live

WODONGA TAFE is proud to announce that its brand new all-in-one app for all things related to trucking and the trucking industry is now live across Australia.

The development of the free app was inspired by the lack of female participation within the transport industry and is just one of the ways Wodonga TAFE and Transport Women Australia aim to help increase female employment within the industry, and to tackle driver shortage issues.

The relationships both organisations have with industry, and the ongoing review of the app in its development, has helped ensure that all content included is relevant, easy to access and promotes the diversity of the industry.

Some of the content included within the app helps to educate drivers on employee conduct and behaviours, in-

cluding bullying and harassment.

The app provides easy access to any support needed by drivers through a range of handy links.

Wodonga TAFE CEO, Phil Paterson said, “We’re proud to launch this new initiative alongside our industry partners – it’s an innovative app that will encourage more women to get involved in the industry and increase its professionalism, safety and diversity.”

The OzTruck app has everything you need as a truck driver, from finding the closest fuel station, cheapest fuel prices and the location of rest stops, to planning the most efficient route for your journey.

An interactive forum allows you to discuss any relevant topics, ask questions about being a truck driver and gives drivers the opportunity

The new app is just one of the ways Wodonga TAFE and Transport Women Australia aim to help increase female employment within the industry.

to have their questions answered by other drivers in no time.

There are a wide range of

Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned driver, this is the perfect app for you.

• • • •

Find nearest petrol station or rest-stops Help plan the most effective route Discuss all things trucking related Complete informative short courses

learning material topics within the app, allowing you to expand your knowledge base through informative short courses covering lots of useful topics around: • Work health and safety • Compliance and regulations • General mechanics and maintenance of heavy vehicles • Personal health and wellbeing A helpful search tool allows you to search for specific courses such as, ‘Inspection of air brakes’, ‘Refrigerated transportation best practices guide’, or ‘How to change a tyre’.

Each topic that you access then becomes automatically pinned to your homepage, allowing easy access in the future.

The app is relevant to all

drivers, and can act as a fantastic bridge between seasoned drivers and newcomers to the industry, enabling the sharing of a wealth of experience and knowledge.

Use the QR code above to download the app for Apple.

Use the QR code above to download the app for Android.

The app provides easy access to any support needed by drivers through a range of handy links.

Use the QR code to download the app for Android.

Use the QR code to download the app for Apple.

The new app is designed to act as a fantastic bridge between seasoned drivers and newcomers to the industry.

CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE 31

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DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Developing the next generation of leaders COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER EMILY MILLS Australian Trucking Association

LIKE many Australian industries, the trucking industry faces profound change as modern technologies, legislation, and social change transform how we do business, work and live.

While dealing with disruption, we must also address the issues of today, from improving safety and building business productivity, to recruiting skilled and motivated employees.

In response to this change, and with the responsibility to ensure a viable future for our industry, the Australian Trucking Association and Daimler Truck and Bus have partnered to deliver the career-defining Future Leaders’ Forum.

Over the years we have seen Future Leaders come from all over the country from a wide range of backgrounds and roles including business analytics, driver training, logistics, livestock, compliance and finance, representing the various aspects of the transport industry.

Now in its fourth year, the Daimler Truck and Bus Future Leaders’ Forum is developing the next generation of trucking leaders, shaping them to be strong, experienced and knowledgeable representatives of their business, community, association and industry.

One of the most valuable elements of this program and what makes it truly unique is not only that our Future Leaders get hands-on training in leadership, media, politics, and advocacy, they are then taken to Parliament House in Canberra for real-life lobbying meetings with senior politicians.

These meetings allow our Future Leaders to learn by doing and gain a first-hand experience of how to push key messages and make an impact on Australia’s decision-makers.

The Forum also sees Future Leaders undertake a specialised leadership project that focuses on a key industry issue.

Participant in the inaugural program, 2018 Future Leader Stacey Davies said the forum was the best training and development she has completed throughout her 10-year career.

“It allowed me to not only create valuable and ongoing working relationships with other young industry leaders but also helped me develop and refine my project manage-

2019 Future Leader Matthew Allen.

ment and presentation skills with the guidance of industry professionals in a safe and encouraging environment,” Davies said.

“Following the 2018 program, I soon received a job promotion as I was able to showcase my commitment, drive and dedication to the business through the implementation of my Future Leaders project.

Davies’ project took a deep dive into workplace culture, recruiting and retaining staff and improving industry im-

Stacey Davies particpated in the inaugural 2018 program.

age. Her project explored how creating a positive workplace can impact morale, hiring processes and productivity.

Participant in the following cohort, 2019 Future Leader Matthew Allen said the forum is an impactful development program that stands out from the rest.

“My confidence in presenting and communicating grew after the program, and I was given opportunities to continue to develop that in my professional role. This then led to an internal promotion about

six months after the program,” Allen said.

With a passion for data analysis and developing future product strategies, Matthew’s Future Leader project explored the rise of e-commerce and how it will lead to an increased need for truck drivers and increased demand for transport companies.

“The program puts you on the other side of the fence and gives you an insight into how legislation is created, the association’s role and involvement in the industry. It also provides

a safe environment for you to grow and develop your leadership skills.”

As evidenced by Davies and Allen, the Future Leaders Forum and similar programs have a profound effect on how the next generation of industry leaders will grow and combat challenges.

Giving young leaders the tools and training needed to become strong, knowledgeable industry advocates, this career-defining program ensures the trucking industry remains strong and ready for the future.

Online tools fill industry skills and knowledge gaps

ONLINE learning used to be pretty uninspiring for participants who would have to wade through dreary content or out-of-date videos before being assessed through unimaginative multiple-choice quizzes.

All that has changed with the new breed of learning management systems (LMS) providing for a dynamic, creative and interactive approach to training.

Communications Manager Steve Power says Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia’s (HVIA) first use of an LMS was for “HV101,” a tool designed for new starter inductions.

“What we found, however, was a huge number of people who have been employed in the industry for years, and who have mastered their understanding in some areas, have been in the dark in others,” Power said.

“HV101 has been great at filling those gaps.

“Every industry employee benefits from understanding how their contribution fits into the big picture.

“Every role is a vital cog

The online HV101 online course has been great at filling in training gaps.

in the machinery that allows the trucking industry to keep Australia moving.

“Like every industry, ours is full of concepts, terminology and acronyms that are peculiar to what we do.”

The course was a hit from its launch and has been adopted as a standard part of the induction process for many companies and even govern-

ment agencies.

MaxiTRANS’ learning and development facilitator, Liz Paolacci says HV101 participants feel ‘invested in’ and valued.

“The course assisted me to understand and further appreciate the industry and therefore the contribution that my company makes,” Paolacci said.

Next on the agenda are courses directed at transport operators to assist with ongoing training and refreshers.

“HVIA believes that the current licensing system ensures competency on the day of a driver’s examination, but, just like many other professions, the industry needs to embrace opportunities for ongoing, professional devel-

opment, in a manner that maximises information retention.

“Targeted, accessible, effective resources are paramount in improving heavy vehicle safety.

“We have identified two issues consistently over-represented in the NTARC Major Accident Investigation Report that we will now focus on: load restraint and tyre management.”

The Heavy Vehicle National Law has specific chain of responsibility provisions that relate to packing, loading and load restraint requirements relevant to the entire transport supply chain (equivalent provisions apply in WA and NT).

While it is impossible to be prescriptive for the many different types, weights and shapes of loads that can be transported, anybody in the chain is responsible for complying with load restraint laws.

“This project will transform the volumes of written guidance information into a simple, immersive and practical online education course

that will ensure heavy vehicle operators and other members in the chain understand the responsibilities and refresh their knowledge as required.

“Tyres are also critical to heavy vehicle safety,” Power added.

“There are many factors that can improve safety, from tyre choice, performance management, such as tread, wear and tyre pressure, and regular maintenance and safety systems can all improve performance and help mitigate tyre failures and keep road users safe.

“There is limited information available on these topics and just about every operator can tell you about a ‘near miss’ experience.

Power said this education course will guide operators into a program of best practice tyre management, including maintenance, rotation and replacement policies, understanding what to look for, how to perform daily checks, and what systems are available to improve the safety outcomes of the most critical and most consumable heavy vehicle component.

32 CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE

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DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Young mum gets her hands dirty breaking stereotypes

IN a traditionally male-dominated industry where females make up only one per cent of the workforce, Emily Smith is looking forward to breaking the mould as she pursues her dream job of becoming a diesel technician.

At just 22, the young mother-of-two juggled family life and studies as she studied a Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation at TAFE Queensland’s Acacia Ridge campus.

Smith said that pursuing a career in a male dominated industry was a bit nerve-racking at first but everyone at TAFE Queensland from her teachers to her fellow students have been really supportive.

“The teachers really try to help you out and pass on as much knowledge as they can.

They make a good day go a lot quicker and it was so much fun,” Smith said.

“They don’t try to stand over the top of you just because you’re a female. They ask politely if you want to have a crack at something or not and they are always there if you need help.”

The heavy automotive sector was however, not Smith’s initial career path having previously been enrolled to study beauty therapy at a local hair and beauty college. Smith said that she had been encouraged to pursue a career in beauty by

I THINK WE WERE ALL A BIT UPSET WHEN THE COURSE ENDED, IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.” EMILY SMITH

Emily Smith and TAFE Queensland Heavy Commercial Industries Teacher Matt Hopewell share a laugh during the 10-week course.

her family who believed girls should work in jobs more suited for females.

“I was just a stay-at-home mum before I signed up to study beauty. Three days before I was meant to start I received an email stating what was required from me,” Smith said.

“My hair had to be tied up in a tight bun and I needed to wear a face full of makeup which included bright red lipstick; I realised then that studying beauty was definitely not

the right career choice for me.

“It was my partner who actually noticed how much I enjoyed working on my car and he suggested that I look into studying a short course to see if it was the right career path for me.”

The Certificate II in Automotive Vocational Preparation turned out to be the perfect course for Smith as it’s designed to prepare students for a career in the light and heavy automotive sector by teaching the basic

skills and knowledge needed to pursue an automotive or mechanical apprenticeship.

“It was all very interesting from tyre changes to pulling out engine gear boxes. I’ve definitely gained more skills coming to TAFE than what I thought I would in the 10week course,” Smith said.

“I think we were all a bit upset when the course ended, it was so much fun.”

The course also included real-world work experience

which Smith completed at Brown and Hurley, one of Australia’s leading truck and agricultural dealers where she is now hoping to secure an apprenticeship.

“The work experience that I have completed at Brown and Hurley has been awesome. I absolutely loved it there and I’ve now gone back to do some more work experience whilst I apply for a diesel mechanic apprenticeship with them,” Smith said.

Transitioning from a fulltime stay at home mum to studying and re-entering the workforce has been no easy feat and an accomplishment that Smith is proud of.

“I’d get up at 4.30am every morning and probably didn’t sit down till maybe 10pm. My daughter was even teething at that stage so some days I was up all night with her but I still got up the next morning to come into TAFE.” Fortunately for Smith she was able to access the Australian Government’s JobTrainer subsidy which provides FeeFree training for eligible Australians.

“The JobTrainer initiative really gave me the chance to be able to do the course. We can barely afford to pay for fuel, tolls, day care and general bills so it definitely made it a lot easier and was extremely helpful.”

For more information about apprenticeships and trade training, visit tafeqld.edu.au or call 1300 308 233 today to see where TAFE can take you.

Unique Queensland apprentice challenge wraps up IT was tools down for the 73 apprentices and trainees who recently competed at the Queensland WorldSkills National Championships, with judges to award the national winners in coming months.

Given current Covid-19 restrictions, some Australian states are yet to compete, delaying the national competition process at the bi-annual event.

Tobias Seibel, 23, from Motorama Toyota (Moorooka) competed in the automotive mechanics trade area at TAFE Queensland’s Acacia Ridge and said that the competition was a lot different to the regional WorldSkills competitions he had previously competed in.

“There’s a lot more fault finding, diagnosing and repairing but it’s been really good,” Seibel said.

“Meeting all the different trades that I didn’t know competed in the competition, like floristry, was an eye-opener as well. To see what TAFE has to offer and then to back it up with these competitions real-

ly gives people the chance to showcase what their made off,” he said.

This year, the Queensland competitors were challenged in simulated work environments during the competition at a number of TAFE Queensland campuses across Brisbane and Bundaberg. They competed in a range of different skills areas including heavy vehicle mechanics, hairdressing, bricklaying, fashion, plumbing, electrical installation, information technology, and cookery – to name a few.

The championships had to be postponed in 2020, however TAFE Queensland says the extra year has given competitors more time to train and perfect their skills, readying themselves ahead of the national championships.

TAFE Queensland chief executive officer Mary Campbell met with all 73 competitors in the Queensland team prior to the competition and said she was extremely proud of the determination and passion the young trade professionals

displayed for their chosen skill area.

These young men and women have dedicated many hours outside of their normal working weeks to train for these WorldSkills National Championships,” Campbell said.

“I am extremely impressed by their dedication to their trade and the sheer enthusiasm they displayed over the weekend to be the best tradespeople that they can be.

“I also acknowledge the incredible work of the WorldSkills Queensland Team and the TAFE Queensland teachers and volunteer staff who have all worked tirelessly to support these young apprentices and trainees to make this year’s event possible.

“Vocational Education and Training forms an integral piece of the Australian education system and the Championships highlight the important role that skilled workers play in our industries and our communities across Australia,” she said.

WorldSkills Australia

Queensland Manager Eric Davis has been involved with the Championships since 2003.

He says that while there were obstacles to overcome this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, being able to see the Queensland team compete at their best had made the journey worthwhile.

“These apprentices and trainees all worked tremendously hard on their individual skills to be selected to compete at the WorldSkills Australia National Championships,” Davis said.

“They should all be extremely proud of what they have achieved this year from further developing their skills to networking, forging new friendships and creating exciting new career opportunities.”

Queenslanders who are successful at the National Championships may be asked to travel to Shanghai, China to compete as part of the Australian Skillaroos Team. The 46th WorldSkills International Competition is planned to be held in August 2022.

Tobias Seibel, 23, from Motorama Toyota (Moorooka) competed in the automotive mechanics trade area.

1326_TQ_BigRigs_FullPage_380x262_Sep_2021

TAFE Queensland is the largest training provider for apprentices and trainees in the state, putting 20,000 apprentices and trainees through their paces every year.

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34 CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Driver Delivery: a roadmap to a rewarding career

THE Victorian Transport Association is welcoming applicants to its innovative heavy vehicle driver training program, Driver Delivery.

The Driver Delivery Program is supported by the Victorian Government and is run in conjunction with Armstrong’s Driver Education. The program is fully subsidised, allowing it to be offered at no cost to participants and employers.

Driver Delivery helps prepare a participant to become a skilled and valued member of a transport team with a complete understanding of industry expectations.

The industry needs drivers and the pathway to a satisfying and rewarding career could be as close as participating in this heavy vehicle driver training program.

The Driver Delivery program is an eight-day 2:1 program that provides in-

The Driver Delivery Program is run in conjunction with Armstrong’s Driver Education. Photo: Armstrongs Driver Education Facebook

dividually tailored training, mentoring, and behind-the-

wheel driving experience to new drivers of heavy vehicles.

Driver Delivery participants will achieve a solid foundation of driving skills, confidence and the competency of operating heavy vehicles safely.

Participants will also gain advanced skills and knowledge with comprehensive training and learning in basic skills and advanced areas that include occupational health and safety, cabin drills, load restraints, road craft, fatigue management, loading docks, metropolitan driving, rural driving, risk reduction techniques, vehicle inspection, and chain of responsibility.

The program has been designed so that approved applicants will obtain their heavy rigid (HR) or heavy combination (HC) licence, subject to the approved applicant satisfying standard VicRoads licencing criteria.

Upon successful completion of the program, the VTA will

facilitate interviews with reputable transport and logistics organisations to help secure a heavy vehicle driving position for a participant.

Please note that any offer of employment and final approval is subject to the recruitment and selection processes of the individual organisation.

To qualify, applicants must satisfy VicRoads licence eligibility to be considered for entry into the Driver Delivery Program. Applicants entering the program at the heavy rigid level must hold a current Australian Driver’s Licence card; held for a minimum of 24 months.

Applicants entering the program at the heavy combination level must hold either a current medium rigid (MR), heavy rigid (HR), or combination of a MR and HR licence held for a minimum of 12 months.

To be selected, applicants must complete a VTA Driver Delivery Application form, provide a current driving record with the application, complete a VTA telephone interview, complete a heavy vehicle pre-assessment driving session with Armstrongs Driver Education, and attend a face-to-face interview at the VTA. Successful applicants will then be notified of their approval to undertake the program.

Since Driver Delivery commenced in 2018, over 150 participants have successfully completed the program and are now employed in transport.

If you think this program is for you and you’re looking for a career as a highly skilled and professional transport worker, please visit vta.com.au/driver-delivery/ to apply.

DRIVER DELIVERY your key to a rewarding career in transport

With the Australian freight task on track to triple by 2050, the road transport industry is busier than ever. We need motivated, competent, young people to join the industry, with a satisfying and rewarding career as a transport professional available to the right people.

The Victorian Transport Association’s Driver Delivery program is an intensive eight-day course that trains participants in this highly skilled profession, and then puts them in paid employment with a transport operator. Participants will achieve a solid foundation of driving skills, confidence and the competency of operating heavy vehicles safely.

Specific training is provided in: • Occupational Health & Safety

• Metropolitan Driving

• Cabin Drills

• Rural Driving

• Load Restraint

• Risk Reduction Techniques

• Road Craft

• Vehicle Inspection

• Fatigue Management

• Chain of Responsibility

• Loading Docks Driver Delivery is supported by the Victorian Government, with tuition fully subsidised. Upon successful completion, the VTA will facilitate interviews with transport operators to help secure employment.

TO LEARN MORE VISIT www.vta.com.au/driver-delivery/ or call 03 9646 8590.

CAREERS AND TRAINING SHOWCASE 35

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

DRIVING AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE

SUPPORTED BY

Electromobility: a new set of skills challenges

PROJECTIONS for the development of zero emissions heavy vehicles have proven to be conservative.

Truck manufacturers worldwide have accelerated their programs and are delivering electromobility solutions that in many cases are ready for immediate implementation.

Before the roll-out can happen in earnest, there are a range of significant common challenges that will require a coordinated and strategic approach to resolve.

Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) Paul Woodland says the peak industry association is taking a coordinated and collaborative approach.

“Our role is to aid the industry’s transformation to a heavy vehicle fleet progressively dominated by battery electric (BEV) and fuel cell electric (FCEV) zero emission trucks,” Woodland said.

“HVIA has already begun to harness the experience and expertise of members and external stakeholders to identify and resolve issues such as standards, legislative and access requirements, and energy infrastructure.

“Alongside that is a large body of work in skills and training, particularly around workplace and operational safety, maintenance, and tech-

nical and emergency support.

“Our quest is to identify what training has been developed and what else is needed, in the short, medium and longer terms.”

It is not just automotive technicians who will need to add new competencies to their skillsets. The advent of battery electric and fuel cell trucks touches just about every segment of the heavy vehicle industry.

For instance, there are implications for body builders, refrigeration specialists and every accessory that draws power. For paint shops and panel beaters there are a whole set of safety issues.

For effective training courses to be rolled out, however, there is a bit of a chicken and egg dilemma.

Before TAFE or any other registered training organisation (RTO) put training products on their scope, two things need to be established: • Is there industry demand for the training?

• Will the course be funded or is it user-pays?

Then there is the issue of qualified trainers.

For any RTO to have a training package on their scope they must satisfy the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) that they have

suitably qualified trainers and that they have adequate resources to teach each unit in a training package or a skillset.

Where they have skill gaps, TAFE advised that they approach the manufacturers to assist in training their trainers. The catch is – that means those people need to have gained appropriate accreditation with relevant certification first.

PWC’s Skills for Australia is a government appointed skills service organisation.

They are currently developing training package products related to the service and repair of battery electric vehicles in conjunction with their industry reference committees (IRC).

Amongst those, “Service and Maintain Battery Electric Vehicles” already existed and has now been updated.

New capabilities include “Diagnose, Remove and Replace Heavy Vehicle Rechargeable Energy Storage Systems” and “Diagnose and Repair Complex Faults in Battery Electric Powertrains.”

The training package products go to training review boards in each state and territory before reaching the Australian Industry Skills Committee (AISC).

In turn, AISC recommend

national training package products to the Skills Ministers’ Meeting (a subset of National Cabinet) for endorsement – next due to take place in October.

Endorsed products are then listed on the National Register (training.gov.au) for implementation by Registered

Training Organisations. This should happen in the first quarter of 2022.

“If HVIA or its members identify gaps we can contact PWC’s Skills for Australia who can then put it to the IRC’s for their consideration,” Woodland explained.

“As demand will increase

rapidly, we need to ensure that the industry is ready, so now is the time for these issues to be resolved.

“It is only then that the marketplace will be able to evolve purchasing decisions from whether to consider zero emissions trucks to which zero emission truck.”

The advent of battery electric and fuel cell trucks, like this one from SEA Electric, touches just about every segment of the heavy vehicle industry.

A pipeline of skilled, smart apprentices for industry THE Australian Industry Trade College (AITC) believes that university is not the only pathway to success.

The college was founded in 2008 to support industry’s need for better-educated apprentices and trainees. It is, therefore, no surprise that their education program has been developed in deep consultation with industry.

AITC is an independent, co-educational school with five established Queensland campuses, and a sixth set to be opened in 2022.

Students complete their secondary schooling - years 10, 11 and 12 – with a heavy focus of work experience first.

Once each student firms up a career path, their goal is to transfer into a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship, with a Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) under their belt.

AITC’s results are outstanding: • In 2020, 99 per cent of students successfully gained their QCE, against the national average of 88 per cent.

• Uniquely, 90 per cent of these students are already

signed-up in a full-time apprenticeship or traineeship upon completion - against the national average of 36 per cent in the traditional school / VET pathway.

Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) CEO Todd Hacking has been developing

a strong partnership with the AITC for the past two years.

“Our initial interest was to try and understand what they were doing differently to lead to these outstanding results,” Hacking said. “Our focus has now shifted to ensuring that our members are gaining the

benefit of this pipeline of future employees.

“Our investigations have highlighted several key differences, which we believe go a long way to improving the outcomes for students.

Hacking said an AITC campus is very different to a

Australian Industry Trade College students are taught practical life skills about eye contact, a firm handshake and first impressions.

typical school.

“The first thing you notice is the physical differences there is no school oval or gymnasium for a start.

“That is because more than half the AITC ‘school year’ is spent off-campus and at a workplace or in training.”

He said students wear a uniform with their names emblazoned on the front.

“The formality towards teachers is dispensed with,” Hacking added. “The culture is very much aimed at replicating a workplace environment.”

The curriculum is truncated with a strong focus on literacy and numeracy. Science, health and physical education are taught with an emphasis on practical application rather than theory.

Students also complete a Certificate II in Skills for Work in Year 11 and Certificate III in Entrepreneurship and Business in Year 12.

The curriculum is taught in educational ‘blocks’ of five weeks, allowing students to spend the remainder of each term (up to 27 weeks a year) getting work experience in a

workplace or in their apprenticeship.

These ‘industry blocks of time’ lead to higher levels of information retention and the satisfaction of completing large and often more exciting tasks than can normally be achieved in a day’s placement under the traditional VET model.

“Students are encouraged to try a range of different trades in Years 10, 11 before transitioning towards their chosen career path,” Hacking said.

“Students are also taught practical life skills about eye contact, a firm handshake and first impressions. There is no doubt that AITC students are better prepared for the workplace and the culture of teamwork and camaraderie is noticeable.

“The flexibility of the system and focus on industry is refreshing and gives HVIA hope that there will be a pipeline of highly educated and enthusiastic tradespeople for many years to come.

“The challenge now is to replicate the model across the nation.”

JOIN US.

Build a career that will drive you further. paccar.com.au/careers

SPY ON THE ROAD 37

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

Rest area surveillance equipment installed SPY ON THE ROAD WITH ALF WILSON

More rest areas needed To say that another public rest area is required along the Gregory Developmental Road between Clermont and Charters Towers would be an understatement.

In fact the only rest area located near Cape River has just had surveillance equipment installed.

It and the Belyando Roadhouse have the only public toilets along the 375km stretch.

For decades the highway has been an important inland route for many truck drivers as a shorter alternative to the coastal Bruce Highway.

When parts of the Bruce Highway are cut off during heavy rain it plays a major role in enabling the far north and Atherton Tablelands region to be supplied.

Trucks from around Australia use the route.

What has been of extreme interest to truckies recently is

Electronic monitoring of vehicles been installed at the Cape River rest area between Charters Towers and Clermont.

that electronic vehicle monitoring equipment has been installed at the area.

One eagle eyed driver snapped pics and forwarded them onto to Spy. “The rest area has been there for at least 10 years and has the only public toilet between Clermont and Charters Towers.

There is a camera and light set-up that counts the vehicles in and out, sending the status to a pair of automatic signs a few kilometres either side of Cape River rest stop,” he said.

Belyando Roadhouse is located 179km north of Clermont, or 196km south of Charters Towers and is the

only fuel stop on this stretch.

Cape River is 112km south of Charters Towers and the rest area is close to the road.

If you want a call of nature when not near the rest area or roadhouse you have to stop at

one of the primitive pull off areas to relieve yourself.

One inadequate pull off area is 31km south of Belyando Crossing – and is basically just a patch of dirt close to the highway.

It often has litter left and smells of urine after people have stopped for a “Jimmy Riddle”, or even human waste sometimes after a number two.

Continued page 38

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A truck on the 227km-long Arnhem Highway that links Jabiru to Darwin.

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38 SPY ON THE ROAD

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Australia’s southern-most pub at Southport in Tasmania.

From Page 37 Food wrappings, toilet paper and plastic bottles filled with urine-coloured liquid often litter these unofficial truck stopping bays.

Even though the route is fully sealed after being done in stages over many years, it is still nominated by many drivers as challenging to negotiate.

One the major concerns is that the road has no shoulders along many sections.

Another is that the rest area can be invaded by van drivers and other motorists leaving little space for heavy vehicles.

While the rest area will be used by many of our drivers, most would still want another one or two beside such a long stretch – ideally one for truckies only.

NT highways debate The majority of truckies Spy speaks to who travel in the NT and Queensland have no doubt about which has the best main roads overall.

The NT wins hands down, which probably doesn’t surprise many.

A NSW driver snapped stacks of pics in the NT and sent some to Spy. “The main NT roads are much better than in Queensland which has the Bruce Highway needing work in many places,” he said.

One picture was taken on the 227km long Arnhem Highway that links Jabiru to Darwin and is the main road to Kakadu National Park.

Major works are being undertaken to make the road accessible all year round.

He said the NT default speed limit outside built-up areas is 110km/h, unless a speed limit sign states otherwise.

Some sections of highways have a maximum speed of 130km/h. They are the Barkly, Stuart, Victoria and Arnhem Highways. With a 130km/h speed limit in place, the roads need to be in good condition.

Drivers of heavy vehicles must not exceed a maximum speed of 100km/h. Heavy vehicles include buses of more than five tonnes gross vehicle mass (GVM) and other heavy vehicles of more than 12 tonnes GVM. Most southern pub popular It is the southernmost hotel

in Australia and many truckies enjoy a coldie or two there when they get time off.

The Southport Hotel is situated in southern Tasmania.

Long time Tassie driver Greg “Lurch” Cunliffe sent Spy some pics of the pub and his Kenworth parked nearby.

“It is a good place to stop and is at the end or beginning of the Huon Highway,” said Lurch.

I spoke to a worker at the pub who said truckies, among other travelers, enjoyed the home-made food, including Atlantic salmon and chicken or beef pies.

“We do get a lot of drivers stopping here and it is close to a beautiful beach and we also have fresh meat, groceries and have a postal agency,” she said.

WA trucks Regular reader Dewi Morgan is always on the lookout for all things trucking to pass onto Spy and found plenty during a trip through WA. He was impressed with the Sandfire Roadhouse where he came across lots of trucks including one transporting a

vibrator used in mining.

It is located 296km from Port Hedland and 314km from Broome on the Great Northern Highway.

“I missed the front of the low loader – I was only after the vibrator as I used to supervise seismic exploration crews in the 80s. The driver of the low loader was busy on his phone so I did not get to talk to him. The roadhouse was bloody amazing. It had peacocks and camels everywhere, really cool to wake to in the morning,” Morgan said.

Peacocks memory Whilst on the subject of peacocks, Spy has fond memories of some which could be seen around the Bluewater Springs Roadhouse in the Queensland outback.

It was during the era when Andrew Peacock was a prominent Aussie political identity.

The husband and wife who ran the roadhouse back then referred to then peacocks as Andrew, Susan and Margaret – the latter two being wives.

I recall having a flat tyre after a trip along the notorious

Hann Highway and pulling into the roadhouse at night where I was given assistance.

Bluewater Springs Roadhouse is located on the Gregory Highway at Basalt, between Charters Towers and Greenvale.

Witches hat puzzle Mystery surrounds the reason why a witches hat usually used for traffic control purposes turned up a handful of times on a well known truck driver’s footpath.

This chap does a short run of several hundred kilometres four times a week and discovered the witches hat when he returned home this month.

“I thought there must have been some roadwork in my street involving traffic control but there wasn’t,” he said.

So he placed the witches hat down the street on the footpath of a vacant block.

But to his amazement the item turned up outside his house four more times in a few weeks.

A police officer who lives nearby offered advice.

“There’s been some burglar activity in the neighbour-

The witches hat that mysteriously turned up in front of a driver’s house.

hood so some would-be thieves may have been marking your place for a robbery attempt,” he said.

Although our man does own a large guard dog which would offer some deterrence as it also barks when strangers are around.

So he asked a neighbour with security cameras to check through them to try and find the culprits to determine whether it is a joke or something potentially more sinister.

He feels like a marked man!

Will Aussie icon bite the dust?

For 25 years the Dirt n Dust Triathlon at Julia Creek in the Queensland outback has been a well known event attended by many.

Road transport companies were often sponsors and truckies lucky enough to get time off turned up in droves to check it out.

However, it looked certain that the tri had bitten the dust and wouldn’t go ahead.

But subsequent info reveals that a lot of supporters have banded together and

look set to save the event.

The first one was held in 1994 and hasn’t been an event for the past two years due to floods and Covid-19.

Julia Creek is 650km west of Townsville and 250km east of Mount Isa and was a strategic location for the event.

I covered it a number of times and fondly recall a truck pulling up at Eastern Creek, 25km from Julia Creek, with scores of bikes on a trailer.

Contestants would swim in Eastern Creek then get on their bikes for the ride into town.

Once there, entrants would run several laps of the main street and finish outside the town and country club.

The event had some weird smaller support events over the weekend such as the best butt competition, bog snorkeling and at one stage a “poo throwing contest”.

That would entail people paying to toss a cow pat at clown Windy Wizard who was standing on an elevated area nearby.

All money raised went to charity.

There will be road transport people around the country who will have golden memories of the Dirt n Dust so let’s hope it’s on again.

Spy was saddened to hear about the death in August of Bill Caulfield who for many years was a regular at the event.

Fish stop on a break A lot of truckies nominate fishing as a favourite recreation when off-duty, but like the majority of anglers, often are reluctant to advise of their secret spots.

Old Spy has unexpectedly discovered one of these secret fishing bonanza locations.

This is a saltwater creek that others may describe as a lagoon which abounds with quality table eating fish.

As a big bonus it is just a few hundred metres from the parking area of a huge roadhouse and some lads on fatigue breaks head there with a fishing rod.

They have managed to catch prized barramundi using lures and cook the fillets on their gas burners.

As word spread, more and more drivers are trying their luck. But Spy has been sworn to zip his mouth as to the exact location.

Triple 0 call There is a gent nicknamed Terry The Truckie who is renowned as a practical joker.

Terry spoke to some other drivers who hadn’t met him before and captivated them as he spoke at a roadhouse parking area.

“I was driving my Isuzu along a busy road when I saw what looked like a human leg in the back of a vehicle driving in front of me,” he said.

Somewhat alarmed, Terry said he phoned 000 and answered a series of questions and even told the lady that he “could clearly see human toes”.

But Terry said he was stunned when the 000 lady said she could find a swift solution. She would ring a tow truck. The lads had a laugh which brightened up their 24-hour break.

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40 DRIVER PROFILES

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Truckin’ In The Tropics

with Alf Wilson

Mark Spall

GOOD Samaritan is an apt description of truckie Mark Spall in an era where many will cruise past a broken down truckie instead of stopping to offer help.

Most of the middle-aged and older drivers reckon that was not generally the case back a few years when most would stop.

Several times Spall has spotted a driver who was beside a road waiting for repairs to be done by a mechanic and offered to assist.

He had gleaned the stricken drivers could have to wait for many hours and had little water and no food.

“I have given them food and water from what I had in my truck and made sure they had called for a mechanic. The latest time was near Moree in NSW,” he said.

Spall, 56, who drives a triple road train was adjusting the straps on his load of stock feed when Big Rigs spotted him at the Townsville Port Access Road. “I am just making sure they are all tight,” he said.

Spall works for Sizer and Cogill Logistics, based at Pittsworth, and was helping the company’s Townsville depot out.

“The stock feed is headed for Camooweal near the NT border,” he said.

Historical Camooweal is about 1100km from Townsville and just 10km from the border with NT. Spall was driving a Western

Star Constellation Series and with the three trailers was more than 50m in length.

“It looks likely I will have to pick up a backload from the railway at Mount Isa,” he said.

On that trip Spall had to travel along two roads he considers to be challenging – the Flinders and Barkly highways.

Spall has been a truckie for 20 years and loves the job and

his current employment.

“I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and get to meet interesting people,” he said.

Like many drivers, Spall cooks a lot of his own food whilst on the highways and byways.

“I have a gas cooker, a microwave and a small fridge with me and they come in handy,” he said.

However Spall does like stopping at the Shell Richmond Roadhouse, situated 500km from Townsville along the Flinders Highway.

“The food is good and the staff are great there,” he said.

Outside work Spall enjoys his 1974 custom Harley Davidson motorbike.

He is certainly not on his “Jack Malone” as many truck-

ies I speak to also love a Harley.

Regarding Covid 19, Spall said he has had quite a few challenges but that was mainly when crossing borders.

“It hasn’t affected me that much, being in an area where there hasn’t been much of it,” he said.

Spall is a happy truckie who was a pleasure to talk to.

Glenn Gravener

Terry Sharp

OWNER operator Glenn Gravener was in Townsville and heading for the Northern Territory carrying stocklick when Big Rigs had a yarn to him.

He was driving a Kenworth T650 and had pulled up at the heavy vehicle breakdown pad beside the Townsville Port Access Road.

“I am taking this to a station at Alexandria in the NT,” he said.

Super fit for a 62-yearold, Gravener said that the Covid-19 pandemic did have an effect on truckies. “It certainly has slowed us down a lot with closures but I get into the NT a lot and it is not so bad there,” he said.

Gravener’s company is GR & KM Transport and his trademark is his wide brimmed hat.

“My nickname is Groover which I have had for many years,” he said.

A Cowboys supporter in the NRL, Gravener likes fishing when he does get some time off.

“I go to Alligator Creek near my home but often catch nothing,” he said.

Originally Gravener hails from Leongatha in Victoria but now loves living in the tropics.

TERRY Sharp possesses a wealth knowledge about the road transport industry. Big Rigs caught up with him beside Townsville’s Port Access Road, while he was with the Volvo FH16 he drives for Sawtells.

“I have brought up fertiliser from Brisbane to Townsville and am waiting to hear about a backload,” he said.

Sharp, 61, is based on the Gold Coast and has worked for Sawtells for 10 years.

“I was a farmer before that and used to drive a tractor and a B615 Mack with a V8 motor,” he said.

Sharp was so fond of the Mack that he has an image of it screen-printed on the cover of his log book.

A Brisbane Broncos supporter in the NRL, Sharp likes stopping at the BP Cluden Roadhouse.

“It has good food, friendly staff, clean facilities and lots of parking. It is also a short walking distance to a big shopping centre,” he said.

Sharp rates the worst road to travel on as between Charters Towers and Clermont.

“There are no shoulders on parts of it,” he said.

Most truckies I speak to remark that their vehicle is dirty and needs a good wash,

but not Sharp. “Mine has just

When I asked if there was anything that annoys him during his travels, surprisingly Spall was complimentary towards most caravan drivers which is in direct contrast to the opinion of many others.

“Generally I have found quite a few good van drivers who have got on the UHF radio and directed me around them,” he said.

been washed,” he said.

42 NEWS

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Long-serving manager celebrates major milestone

JOST Australia has congratulated one of its long-serving and well respected employees, Bob Martin, on notching up 20 years of service.

Martin joined JOST in August 2001 as the company’s Brisbane branch manager.

A role he maintained for 18 years before moving into his current position as national training manager.

He was also a long-serving member of Commercial Vehicle Industry Association of Queensland (CVIAQ), where he was board director for 12 years and CVIAQ president for seven years – before the association morphed into the Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) in 2016.

After leaving school when he was 15, Martin secured an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, working in a small country garage. Upon completing his apprenticeship, he spent several years in new car dealerships in Brisbane before switching to the bigger stuff.

The year was 1989 when Martin was offered a job as a truck driver/mechanic, driving a rigid tipper and towing a three-axle dog.

But a work injury put him on the sidelines. He was off work for three months and had to broaden the scope so he could get back to work.

His next career move – becoming a TAFE tutor in 1992, before getting into Griffith University as a mature age student and graduating with a bachelor’s degree in adult and

JOST Australia national training manager Bob Martin has had a long and well respected career in the industry.

vocational teaching in 1995.

That same year he joined BPW Transpec in a technical sales role, while continuing his studies and obtaining a Diploma of Management, before joining JOST six year

later in 2001.

“I got out of car mechanics and drove trucks for a while, then I got involved in TAFE with a view to becoming a TAFE teacher. That was back at a time when the govern-

ment wasn’t putting any money into funding TAFE. I got out of that and got a job in the transport industry with BPW and that’s where my career in the heavy transport industry began,” Martin said.

“I think it’s a rewarding industry. There are a lot of good people involved. It’s the people you meet and the friendships you make with those people along the way.

There have also been a lot of

challenges along the way too, which I enjoy.”

Throughout his career, he’s seen many major changes to the industry. From coming on board at around the same time as B-doubles were hitting the road to the introduction of PBS, and major advances in technology – from the launch of ABS to EBS and stability control.

“At JOST, we’re starting to get more and more technology into our fifth wheel couplings and our pin style couplings too,” Martin added.

As well as being so knowledgeable about the industry, Martin has also become well known for his generosity, including joining committees and associations, and helping others during crisis – including the 2011 Brisbane floods, where he assisted several of JOST’s customers in the clean up after the deluge.

Around 18 months ago, having returned to TAFE part-time, Martin graduated with a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, adding to the knowledge and expertise he brings to his current role at JOST. With 20 years at JOST under his belt, Martin is looking forward to many more. “It’s always great to have a good quality product to sell and a good employer. The product pretty much sells itself – we just need to back that up with good quality service and support, which JOST has always been renowned for.”

David Grant takes on new GM role at Krueger

KRUEGER Transport Equipment has announced David Grant will move into the role of general manager – manufacturing, following 17 years in the company’s national service division.

The promotion will see him head up the manufacturing plant in Truganina, officially taking on the new

position from September 13.

Grant joined Krueger in 2005 as a service manager at the Laverton site. In 2020 he was promoted to head up the National Service Division.

Krueger says that this time, he has shown exemplary leadership with the National Service team and has developed a strong understanding of the

manufacturing process and systems.

“David’s knowledge of the Krueger product from a customer point of view and his strong commitment to the company and its values makes David an idea candidate for the role, as does his ongoing commitment to safety,” said Krueger CEO Kevin Dennis.

“In his new role, David will continue to focus on driving efficiencies and improvements into the manufacturing process and building on the platform we currently have in place. For the last year David has been responsible for the manufacture of our newly launched dry van range at our Laverton site.”

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From the road to the courts

Athena Law has eight offices across Queensland, offering legal assistance across the state.

A former truck driver and driver trainer, lawyer Mandy Reid has been assisting other truck drivers with all manner of legal issues.

She started her driving career in Auckland, New Zealand, over 25 years ago, with a unique trailer combination that incorporated both a crane and tipper.

“I started driving trucks in NZ in 1997 and was one of the few female truckies in Auckland. I was pretty much an all-rounder, with overhead gantry crane and forklift licences as well,” she said.

When Reid first came to

Australia in 2001, she secured a job as a tow truck driver in Brisbane before moving to Nhulunbuy, Northern Territory and working as a qualified driver trainer at the Rio Tinto mines.

Upon returning to Brisbane, Reid assisted with the training of drivers in trucks and forklifts at Bundamba.

But as she explains, despite her passion for the industry, the mind was willing, but the body wasn’t. Instead, she turned her attention to law and has been helping a broad range of clients, including truckies, ever since.

Former truck driver and driver trainer Mandy Reid established Athena Law in 2019.

Reid began her law degree in 2008 while still continuously working and juggling family life with three daughters.

She was admitted into the Supreme Court in 2015 and made the switch from driver training to working at a law firm, where she remained for the next three and a half years, before establishing her own firm called Athena Law in 2019.

“We opened with the

ATHENA LAW We are able to assist you with all of your traffic offences, drug and alcohol offences, dui work licence, drug work licence, special hardship licence, dangerous and careless driving.

Brisbane office, but then Covid hit and it slowed us down. Last year we added the Kingaroy office and now we have eight offices across Queensland,” Reid said.

“I don’t like to limit myself to sticking to one area.

If someone needs help, it doesn’t matter where in Queensland the court is.

There’s no limitation of where we will work for our clients. I specialise in Criminal Law but do all manner of

general law too.”

Reid is assisted by her colleague Bob Glen, who has over 30 years’ experience working within the court systems and is extremely knowledgeable in all areas of law including Road Traffic Law and Criminal Law. She says that when a truckie has a legal issue to deal with, she can understand the challenges they go through, because she’s been behind the wheel too. “Truck drivers get

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the rough end of the stick a lot of the time, even when it’s not their fault, they’re always copping it for something.

“If a truckie has a legal issue, they can always call us up for a free 20 minute consultation. Then we can work from there and tell them if we can help them out. I’m always very up front and approachable, and I don’t take things personally. I know what they are talking about and where they’re coming from.”

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Our team deal with all criminal offences such as drug offences, assaults and violent offences, dishonesty offences and serious crime.

We can also assist with your divorce and children/property disputes.

Call bob or mandy as we have over 30 years experience in the trucking industry and understand your difficult situations.

Contact Bob and Mandy on 07 4308 9700 or email info@athenalaw.com.au

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Multifunction OEX LED model lights up industry

WITH a pedigree of excellence spanning 20 years, one of Australia’s most trusted brands, OEX, is back with their newest lighting range, suiting transport, trucking, and emergency vehicles.

These self-contained, powerful LED work lights stand out amongst the rest as they provide intense directional light, while also incorporate an amber warning light, allowing a hazard warning to other road users, whilst providing a welllit environment for the task at hand.

Marin Price, senior lighting product manager for OEX, says it’s an exciting time for OEX as this is a unique and innovative product with demand from a range of industries.

“The closest thing you see in the Australian market are agriculture headlights with indicators, however nothing that can function as both a work light and warning light with the ability to be synced,” said Price.

To further enhance the hazard warning environment, up to eight lights can be connected to synchronise the flash pattern effect.

WITH THE SPOT AND FLOOD OPTIONS, THESE LIGHTS ARE ABLE TO SUIT MANY SITUATIONS.” LUKE BOLTON, LIGHTING MERCHANDISE MANAGER

Each light can be individually selected to be in sync or in anti-sync to provide a ‘wig-wag’ effect, giving users the flexibility for any situation.

Each work light houses six high-powered LEDS, giving you 1500 lumens of power, are capable of operating in both 12 and 24V vehicles and are available in 10° spot (ACX5586) and 25° flood beams (ACX5587).

The integrated amber warning lights are powered by two LEDS and are SAE Class 1 compliant, with three selectable flash patterns and a steady burn option. Housed in an allin-one compact, reliable robust fitting, the lights boast an IP69 environment rating and are EMC compatible.

Luke Bolton, lighting merchandise manager, says that

these lights will give users great flexibility no matter what environment they’re in.

“With the spot and flood options, these lights are able to suit many situations. Truck drivers can put them on the top of their cab for greater visibility, and as they’re also ECE R23 compliant they can mount them in a fixed position at the back, so drivers also have

hazard lighting but also great visibility when reversing,” said Bolton.

Be assured you can count on OEX for high quality, reliable products to get the job done.

See your local NAPA Auto Parts team for more information about OEX products, or log on to www.napaparts. com.au/ for OEX product releases.

Housed in an all-in-one compact, reliable robust fitting, the lights boast an IP69 environment rating and are EMC compatible.

Each work light houses six high-powered LEDS, giving you 1500 lumens of power.

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Exciting steps for specialist insurance broker

OVER the past 30 years, AEI Transport has proudly grown to become one of the leading specialist insurance brokers along the east coast for heavy transport and logistics operators, advising in all aspects of insurance and workers compensation advice.

AEI is also pleased to announce the opening of its new office in Melbourne which commenced in March this year.

“This is an exciting step for AEI in allowing us to better service our existing clients along the eastern seaboard, especially in Victoria and Tasmania, as well as expand our footprint,” said director Noel Kelly.

Part of the ASX-listed Austbrokers Group, one of the largest insurance broking groups in Australia, AEI now operates seven offices across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria with a team of over 100 staff members.

“We remain committed to providing market leading insurance services, particularly in the area of claims management,” Kelly added.

“As the insurance market continues to evolve, we are committed to maintaining our

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING NEW BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVEN’T CONNECTED WITH YET.” NOEL KELLY

professionalism and building long-term relationships with our clients.”

Kelly said insurance markets and changes to underwriting risk appetite has made it particularly challenging for transport operators in conjunction with the economic uncertainty of Covid-19.

“AEI’s continued focus on risk management and mitigation has a direct effect on the insurance companies and their appetite, and it is therefore critical that we continue to provide clear guidance to insurers of our client’s risk management practices, helping to reduce exposures and prevent losses, in turn maintaining reduced and stable premiums for operators.

“We look forward to meeting new businesses that we haven’t connected with yet.”

AEI managing director Tim Wedlock is another familiar

face to the industry, and winner of the 2014 Don Watson Memorial Award for services to the trucking industry.

“Our philosophy is one of a team approach on all programmes whereby all resources of AEI Transport are available to our clientele,” said Wedlock, a director and president of the National Insurance Brokers Association (NIBA) and recipient of the Qualified Practicing Insurance Broker of the Year award in 2004 and 2009.

“While you have the benefit of a dedicated account manager who can build up knowledge of your business, that person is also backed by the experience of our team that can deliver a complete range of broking services.

“We are passionate about our business, are very proud of what we have achieved for our clients and look forward to meeting you and demonstrating our credentials.”

Please feel free to reach out to either Noel Kelly on 0466 900 134 or Jordan Caleo on 0449 996 318 about your insurance needs.

For more information, visit aeitransport.com.au.

The AEI team is also celebrating the opening of a new office in Melbourne.

Truck Insurance From single vehicles to a large fleet, we are able to arrange an appropriate level of cover for vehicles with a carrying capacity of over 3.5 tonnes. This includes, but is not limited to: · Tippers · General carriers · Plant and equipment · Grain carriers · Hazardous goods carriers · Refrigerated carriers · Livestock carriers Leading specialist insurance brokers along the East Coast for Heavy Transport and Logistics operators, NSW, QLD and VIC

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RT ERTON

AT THE WHEEL DAVID MEREDITH

46 COLUMN contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TRUCKIN’ ON THE BORDER DAVID VILE contributors@bigrigs.com.au

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Government must legislate change to help truckies EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS

james.graham@bigrigs.com.au

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TWU NEWS

TWU NEWS RICHARDOLSEN OLSEN RICHARD TWU NSW State Secretary TWU NSW State Secretary

THE TWU knows that workers want to get on with their jobs, be paid fairly, be kept safe while they drive and need the federal government to set up a national plan that does not keep them guessing as to which border closes next, where they can get tested or where they can go if they choose to be vaccinated.

It means respect on the road, for people who have not stopped moving over the pandemic period.

Truck drivers desperately need the kind of support that offers practical solutions to running a truck and ensuring that a driver gets home safely.

Truck drivers need organisations to engage with us to campaign hard for rest areas and ensure transport workers can access decent truck stops rather than just technical solu-

tions that only make a small, and expensive dent in the fatigue problems drivers face.

We need governments to take a long hard look at the financial impact truck drivLEGAL EAGLE ers face KING from organisations ROWAN like Transurban Principal Lawyer RK Law and their toll road rorts.

Senator Glenn Sterle has led an inquiry into the transport Industry which has come up with a series of practical solutions that can and should be adopted to ensure a safer and fairer transport industry.

The strongest of these that the TWU sees is the recommendation to establish an independent body which will set “universal, binding standards” in road transport.

Those standards see thousands of transport workers taking action over the weeks to come, over attacks on their job security, and attacks on good, permanent jobs as major transport operators try to strip bare labour costs.

The TWU sees every day the impact of the actions of major profitable retailers, manufacturers and companies who are demanding their goods be delivered for less and

in unrealistic time frames.

Australia’s deadliest industry is being pushed harder and harder because of deregulated models of transport being offered by the likes of Amazon. The push that leads

to driver’s deaths is still not being recognised enough.

No-one is seeking to take a sufficient share of the responsibility for the pressures that push drivers into working excessive hours, skipping rest

breaks and ignoring fatigue management regulations.

With little individual bargaining power, drivers are often forced to put themselves in danger.

Same job, same pay en-

sures safety rates for workers.

These objectives cannot be achieved unless the federal government legislates change in the road transport industry and ensures its rigorous enforcement.

Truck drivers need organisations to engage with us to campaign hard for rest areas.

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TRUCKIN’ IN VICTORIA GRAHAM HARSANT

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contributors@bigrigs.com.au

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport Women Australia

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS

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COLUMN 47

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

Improving safety and productivity for industry

LIFE WITH KERMIE GRAHAM HARSANT contributors@bigrigs.com.au

REFORM LEADER SAL PETROCCITTO

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, CEO

THE NHVR is continuing to focus on the dangers of illegal engine remapping with the latest round of information highlighting the safety risks of speed limiter tampering.

The campaign was released earlier this year, with a focus on the harmful effects toxic diesel emissions can have if the emissions control system of a heavy vehicle is tampered with.

Research shows up to 60 times more pollutants can be released into the atmosphere with a tampered system, causing damage to the health and safety of individuals, workplaces, communities and the environment.

What is just as concerning, and in many cases more alarming, is the risk of speeding. Any heavy vehicle speeding is going to take longer to come to a stop – and the high-

WELCOME MESSAGE MARK BAILEY

INSURANCE GURU MARK BROWN

THE OZ TRUCKER MIKE WILLIAMS

TWU NEWS RICHARD OLSEN

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

er the speed, the more chance of a collision, injury or worse.

Speed limiter tampering to increase the ability for a heavy vehicle to go over its legal speed limit is dangerous and LEGAL illegal. CORNER SARAH MARINOVIC We Legal know that safety is the Armstrong highest priority in our industry, and majority of industry

do the right thing, particularly when it comes to the safety of vehicles and drivers.

But there is still a percentage that break the law and put the safety of drivers and the TELEMATICS community atEXPERT risk.

SHANNON KYLE Statistics recently released Safety solutions specialist, Teletrac Navman by the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research

Economics show that approximately 70 per cent of fatalities involving articulated trucks occurred in speed zones 100km/h or over.

One life injured or lost on LOBBYIST our roads is one too many, STEVE SHEARER and we need to do SA Roadtogether, Transport Association Executive Director possible to travel everything and arrive safely.

If anyone connected with the industry feels a pressure to speed in a heavy vehicle and illegally break the law, I encourage you to contact the NHVR’s heavy vehicle confidential reporting line so our team can support you.

Pleasingly, more and more companies and drivers are

taking up opportunities to enhance their fleets and heavy vehicles and incorporate the latest safety technology.

The NHVR has put forward a plan to support new technology through our Vehicle Safety and Environmental Technology Uptake Plan, or SETUP. The plan outlines a program of work to accelerate the introduction of new safety and environmental technologies into the Australian heavy vehicle market.

It contains five work packages that aim to encourage operators to incorporate newer, more advanced technology into their fleets.

We hope this plan will go a long way to improving safety and productivity for drivers, and the industry as a whole, moving forward.

I invite your feedback on the latest version of our engine remapping campaign as we continue to do what we can to improve safety in our industry, as well as for everyone on our roads.

For more information visit www.nhvr.gov.au/ engineremapping

Qld Minister for Transport and Main Roads

Manager, TBI Insurance Services

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TWU NSW State Secretary

Principal Lawyer RK Law

As part of the campaign, the NHVR is running a series of advertisements on billboards, in various publications and via social media.

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We all need to get back to work, and do it very soon

COST CUTTER CHET CLINE

AT THE WHEEL DAVID MEREDITH

AIR CTI founder/owner

contributors@bigrigs.com.au

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT TRANSPORT WOMEN IN JACQUELENE BROTHERTON JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport WomenWomen Australia Chair of Transport

Australia

WITH all the debate and divisiveness that is going on around the country within our own industry and the community in general, we need to start to pull together to get our country moving and get our economy back on track.

THE OZ TRUCKER I am neither pro-vax or anMIKE WILLIAMS ti-vax and while I don’t believe contributors@bigrigs.com.au that vaccines should be mandated by anybody, I do understand that they have been mandated by stealth.

I do believe the only way we’ll get back to living any type of normal life is if people get vaccinated. Unfortunately, whatever I believe, they are not going to open our borders or stop lockdowns until 80 per cent or 90 per cent of our LOBBYIST population is vaccinated and STEVE SHEARER we’re not going to change their SA Road Transport Association Executive minds.Director We don’t have time to ask

the government whether it be state or federal, or to protests or mount campaigns or anything else as our businesses are under the gun and if we don’t jump start the economy a lot EDITOR of people will not have busiJAMES GRAHAM nesses to re-open and we will james.graham@bigrigs.com.au not be able to visit our families who are in another state, or further than 5km.

Because none of my family live in the same state as myself, I haven’t seen them for months and most of my friends are either interstate or overseas, so I haven’t seen them either but I’m in the same situation as a TWU NEWS lot of people and it is heartRICHARD OLSEN breaking and a serious issue for TWU NSW State Secretary our mental health.

We missed Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Easter, and all these special occasions; for those of us with elderly parents, we need to get back on track as soon as possible.

Maybe we need to start blasting GANGgajang ‘Sounds of Them’ (This is Australia), Great Southern Land by Icehouse and I am Australian by The Seekers in the parliament of each state 24/7 until they realise, they

TRUCKIN’ ON THE BORDER DAVID VILE contributors@bigrigs.com.au

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS contributors@bigrigs.com.au

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

Principal Lawyer RK Law

I do believe the only way we’ll get back to living any type of normal life is if people get vaccinated.

are part of a great country, and they need to get together and work as one nation.

Or the best-case scenario let’s abolish state parliaments altogether and save ourselves a heck of a lot of money and bureaucracy, maybe then the federal government could plan for national unity.

Under the current regime we’re tearing families apart,

sending companies broke, putting people out of work and creating a divide between neighbours, colleagues, and different local government areas because of the different rules; but the most important thing we need to do, is end these economy crippling lockdowns so business can reopen and start making money.

Why should the govern-

ment dictate, that businesses can only service vaccinated people, surely it should be up to the business whether they can service vaccinated or unvaccinated people? If they wish to service unvaccinated, I’m sure that they could service them on different days or in different times.

If the vaccine is supposed to be so good, it shouldn’t really

matter. Whatever the outcome we need to get back to work and we need to do it soon.

Otherwise, it won’t be only the anti-vax that are protesting it’ll be everyone whose business is being closed, whose businesses have gone bankrupt, or people being put out of work by the prolonged lockdowns and who can blame them?

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Raising the bar for animal welfare Australian standards, with regular internal and on-road inspections by regulatory authorities.

But how can you tell if an operator is meeting best practice and implementing strong animal welfare standards?

There is a comprehensive auditable animal welfare accreditation scheme available – TruckSafe.

As Group Fleet and Maintenance Manager at Martins Stock Haulage, I can say there is no point having well-prepared livestock ready to load if they are put at risk during transportation.

Stock lost or damaged in transit affects a producer’s bottom line and can tarnish the industry’s reputation.

The TruckSafe animal welfare standards were designed in collaboration with major supermarkets, Animal Health Australia, the RSPCA, Humane Society International, Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association and representatives of some of the largest livestock transporters across Australia.

It is the only freight industry accreditation which

ATA COMMENT GRAHAM EMERY TruckSafe Director

LAST month, Twiggy Forrest published full-page advertisements in newspapers across Australia challenging export processor JBS over the company’s animal welfare performance.

The comments have brought attention to the animal welfare credentials of the Australian meat processing industry – livestock transporters included.

Australia’s red meat industry leads the world in best practice animal welfare. It is essential the transport of live animals also occurs under best practice standards.

In recent years, we have seen transport industry safety improve tremendously and the focus remains on continuous safety improvements throughout the supply chain.

Vehicles are subject to

It is essential the transport of live animals also occurs under best practice standards.

addresses both human safety and the humane transportation of livestock.

The operator must show evidence that their personnel are competent and trained in livestock handling, so livestock are handled, loaded, transported, and unloaded to minimise stress or injury.

Accredited drivers are required to be well trained in how to prevent stress, disease and contamination when

moving livestock. They also play a key role in supporting ‘paddock-to-plate’ traceability, which protects the eating quality of the final product.

Producers and the community can be confident that a TruckSafe operator has considered every risk possible and is more than capable of maintaining animal welfare if something goes wrong along the way.

TruckSafe’s animal welfare

module meets and exceeds all requirements of the Land Transport of Livestock Standards.

Accredited operators deliver better animal welfare and can prove it, with each externally audited by auditors appointed by TruckSafe.

Operating under TruckSafe ensures driver practices and vehicle maintenance are of an extremely high standard and brings our accredited op-

erators to meet modern safety expectations.

Everyone in the supply chain has a responsibility for animal welfare, from producers and transporters to exporters and customers.

The only way to make sure transporters are meeting best practice standards is to become TruckSafe accredited.

To find out more, or to become TruckSafe accredited, head to trucksafe.com.au.

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Essential freight drivers must get priority Covid jab

VTA COMMENT PETER ANDERSON CEO, Victorian Transport Association

THE transport industry was awash with speculation about jurisdictions mandating Covid vaccinations for interstate truck drivers, with Queensland and New South Wales setting notional deadlines for freight workers to get a first jab as condition of entry.

South Australia abandoned a planned deadline of September 24 and the Victorian Transport Association got on the front foot to outline certain conditions the Victorian Government should meet were it ever to mandate Covid vaccinations for linehaul freight workers.

In the absence of any national law requiring vaccination, drivers may soon have to prove to state and territory officials they have been jabbed before crossing borders.

The speculation has been useful in that it stimulates discussion about how transport workers should be supported to get vaccinated, notwithstanding how our industry has kept fragile supply chains working in the face of arguably the greatest consumer demand Australia has ever faced.

Our industry has carried millions of tonnes of goods over millions of kilometres within Australia since March 2020 and have maintained our disciplines to ensure we comply with every directive.

We’ve achieved this despite

The state government must make it easier for truckies to get the jab and reward those who do with less frequent testing.

some of the most confused, onerous, and personally intrusive requirements of any industry.

We’ve kept our social licence to keep working despite these rapidly changing roadblocks, with transmission events from transport able to be counted on one hand.

Just as we’ve responded to every other sudden new requirement to work, our industry will comply as best we can with any new requirements Were vaccinations to be mandated in Victoria, our state government must help, whilst also recognising our industry’s herculean effort to keep supply chains open with concessions for vaccinated drivers.

Transport workers will do

their very best to ensure the supply chains remain open.

But the Government must support a mobile workforce that is busier than ever to get vaccinated by: • Making it easy for transport workers to get vaccinated – bring the vaccine to drivers at pop-up vaccination sites at established testing centres, truck rest stops, depots and locations drivers visit whilst carrying out their work; • Prioritising interstate drivers for vaccination – as an industry we have refrained from requesting early access to vaccination. However, if the government is going to mandate vaccinations for drivers, they must be prioritised; • Rewarding vaccinated drivers

with less frequent testing – the requirement that drivers entering Victoria have a negative Covid test at least every three days is unnecessary for vaccinated drivers; • Designating the road transport industry as an Essential Service in a State of Emergency – transport workers have been doing essential work for over 18 months, yet the industry is not recognised as an Essential Service; and • Implement what it agreed at national cabinet – the Freight Movement Protocol agreed to by every state and territory jurisdiction provides a uniform set of conditions for the transport industry to support national supply chains.

It is incumbent on any gov-

ernment that requires certain workers to be vaccinated to make it is easy as possible for them to do so. This is especially important for interstate freight workers, without whom our supply chains would collapse.

Regardless of whether vaccination is mandated, it is welcome news that the Commonwealth has announced Australians who suffer injury and loss of income due to adverse 19 vaccine reactions may be able to claim for the costs through a nation-wide scheme.

Businesses involved in the administration of vaccines may also be indemnified against injury and loss of income should one of their employees be injured.

Market forces will ultimately dictate who is required to provide evidence of a vaccination, with both operators and their customers making this a condition of employment and doing business.

Having a scheme that compensates for loss means businesses can confidently offer a marketplace vaccination program for their workers – much like they already do with flu shots – without having to foot the bill should someone fall ill.

With a need for many members to focus on high rates of vaccination within their workplace to meet customer requirements and state border restrictions, the timing of this scheme is especially welcome.

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

Free online course helps drive Covid awareness

Recent Covid restrictions have seen another spike in truck drivers signing up for the free Covid-19 Awareness Course with hundreds of new users registering to learn online.

First launched in April 2020 thanks to a collaboration between the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) and DRVR Training, the Covid-19 course has provided online training to thousands of truck and courier drivers.

The course has since been updated to reflect the changes in safety protocols as more information about Covid-19 has become available.

The updated Covid-19 Awareness course is now provided under a wider program of online courses, as a part of the QTA’s Road Freight Resilience Program, funded under a micro-credentialling initiative, by the Department of Employment, Small Business and Training Micro-credentialing Pilot Program.

The course is available free to all truck and delivery drivers and provides information on best-practice hygiene during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The content is popular for industry because it only takes 30 minutes to complete and offers practical steps to consider when carrying out daily tasks, from refuelling to faceto-face goods delivery.

Many businesses and operators are using the course as part of their driver induction and onboarding process.

There are 24 units to complete under the broad topics of Covid-19 What You Need To Know, Sanitising Your Vehicle, Your Trip and Hygiene.

QTA CEO Gary Mahon said the high enrolments in the Covid-19 course demonstrates how the transport industry is leading the way to support safe work practices while still maintaining delivery schedules.

“The QTA is committed to providing accurate and timely advice during Covid, and we know first-hand there if often confusion about border procedures and testing requirements,” he said.

“We have a Covid-19 Information Hub on the QTA website, where there are a range of resources available to help drivers and transport operators navigate the varying travel restrictions and ways to keep our workforce safe.

“Here you can find links to Covid-19 Awareness course and downloadable safety guides for Cabin Cleaning and Truck Stops,” he added.

With the spotlight being on the way forward out of the pandemic, Mahon says he’s also asking for industry’s feedback on particular on issues such as employee vaccination, vaccination availability, testing result wait times, preferences for either vaccination or testing options.

“We always endeavour to professionally advocate our member’s views, and it is important to us that we understand any of the issues being experienced in businesses,” he said.

“Currently mandatory vaccinations to cross borders is being considered by government.

“While the QTA strongly supports vaccination uptake for those who are eligible to

receive them, we are not endorsing mandatory vaccinations for our industry.

“If the government were to mandate vaccination to cross the border, our position is that the transport industry would need to at least have an implementation date to December 31, 2021 to allow freight workers time to arrange their first vaccination injection and complete the required wait time to be fully vaccinated,” Mahon added.

However, the QTA preferred approach is that ‘F’ pass requirements include either (a) a covid negative test result within the last seven days, supplemented by rapid antigen testing if necessary; or (b) be fully vaccinated.

What are your views on mandatory vaccinations, wait times for testing and border travel requirements?

Please email your comments to feedback@qta.com. au or for more information on Covid resources, visit www.qta.com.au.

To access the free Covid-19 course, please visit www.roadfreight-resilience. thinkific.com/courses/covid-19 -hygiene-awareness.

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If you are starting a new business, read this first I SPY ON THE ROAD ISPY@BIGRIGS.COM.AU

INSURANCE GURU MARK BROWN

Manager, TBI Insurance Services

FAR too many get caught up in the excitement of going into business for themselves that they miss some critical steps that can make or break a business.

Whether you are planning on opening a fish ‘n’ chip shop, starting your own bank or buying your first truck, there are some basic principles you can follow in orderEXPERT to start and TELEMATICS then continueKYLE to grow a sucSHANNON cessful business thatTeletrac will Navman ensure Safety solutions specialist, you give your business the best chance to survive and prosper.

When you start a business, chances are you decided to go into business for the following reasons: 1. You are good at what you do 2. To make money 3. More freedom 4. To build an asset The more effort and time that you put into your business via the things that you are good at will ultimately determine how much money you make, how many assets you can accumulate and how much freedom you can allow yourself.

That being said, the key to your business is obviously YOU and how much time YOU have to do what you know best; that is to service and build your customer base and run your business! There are certain areas of your business that will require external areas of expertise, such as, accounting, finance and insurance.

Before you spend a dollar, it

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT JACQUELENE BROTHERTON Chair of Transport Women Australia

THE OZ TRUCKER MIKE WILLIAMS contributors@bigrigs.com.au

EDITOR JAMES GRAHAM

james.graham@bigrigs.com.au

TWU NEWS RICHARD OLSEN TWU NSW State Secretary

TASSIE TRUCKIN’ JON WALLIS contributors@bigrigs.com.au

LEGAL EAGLE ROWAN KING

Principal Lawyer RK Law

LOBBYIST STEVE SHEARER

SA Road Transport Association Executive Director

By enlisting a specialised accountant and insurance broker you are effectively freeing up your time to concentrate on what you do best.

is vital to the success of any new business to seek expert guidance from an expert in each of the following specialised fields such as accounting and insurance.

Although every business is different, the key to your success will be the foundation upon which you build your business. So, after you have brainstormed your business idea, seek out and consult with an accountant and an insurance broker that specialise in your type of business.

Accountant An accountant will advise the best way to set up the structure

of your business for taxation purposes and also help with your business and GST registration (if GST registration is required in the early days).

Your accountant will also crunch the numbers for you, based on a realistic income and expenses projection and if they specialise in the type of business you are about to start, they may also be aware of any other potential expenses that you may not have already factored into your figures. It’s always a good idea to consult with your accountant before purchasing any high value item.

Your accountant may also have the ability to advise the

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most suitable accounting/invoicing system which will greatly assist you in keeping track of your invoicing and debtors; these invoicing programs can help reduce the amount of paperwork you need to do, once again freeing up more of your time.

Insurance broker Yes, everyone hates insurance, but, like it or not, it is a very important part of any business.

Public Liability is a must for every business as is Workers Compensation if you have an employee. These 2 insurances are a statutory (Legal) requirement for anyone operating a

business in Australia.

It is best to find yourself an insurance broker that is familiar with your type of business, for example transport. A specialist broker will identify the types of insurance policies that you need and will provide advice on the correct cover for your business needs.

Some common insurances you will need as a transport operator are: Commercial Motor Vehicle, Public Liability and Marine Transit. Depending on your operation other policies may also be required.

A very common mistake when starting out in any business is that most people leave

their insurance to the last minute. Big mistake! It is vital that you seek advice from your insurance broker before you look for any finance as you will need to factor in the TRUE cost of insurance to enable you to firstly determine if the business is financially viable and secondly, you will need to add the insurance cost to your business plan that you present to a finance company and before they provide any loan to you they will request a copy of your insurance.

It may come as a surprise to you, that, the monthly cost of your insurance if starting out in a new business as a transport operator can be equivalent to your monthly finance repayments on your truck and trailer.

You need to consider this when deciding if the business is actually a viable venture.

By enlisting a specialised accountant and insurance broker you are effectively freeing up your time to concentrate on what you do best and leave the worry of taxation, insurance and finance to the ones that specialise in these fields.

Important: All answers and information contained within this article should be considered as General Advice Only. This advice should only be considered as General in Nature and its intent is only to prompt the readers to investigate their own individual insurances. It has been prepared without taking into account the readers own individual objectives, financial situation or needs.

Because of that, before acting on the above advice, the client or any persons should consider its appropriateness (having regard to their objectives, needs and financial situation) and seek further independent advice from their own financial advisor.

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Sad day for all in transport

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021 BIGRIGS.COM.AU

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE 3

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8 9 10 11

12 13

Fill the grid so every column, every row and 3x3 box contains the digits 1 to 9.

SUDOKU

THIS article is the ending of an era for the transport industry with the demise of this magazine the restruc16 17 under 18 ture and rationalisation of News Corp.

It is a sad day for all of us in the 22 industry as Big Rigs maga23 zine has been a part of our lives for almost 30 years.

For some, their entire careers so far.

25 It will leave huge gap as the editors and staff have supported the industry, provided fair and rational debate and given everyone a fair say in industry doings to all, as well as stories, pictures and news of our peoEASY ple, our trucks and our unsung heroes.

Our lives will be the poorer for its demise; being a columnist for Big Rigs for the past year and half has allowed me to fulfil yet another childhood dream, to write, and it has given me great pleasure and I hope it has at least been enjoyed by some.

While so many are focused on the negatives of the industry, I have tried to focus on the

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positives aspects or those issues about which I am most passionate and have a chance of making a contribution to change.

I began writing column when I was returned as Transport Women Australia Limited chair in 14 November 2017.

15 In the interim, TWAL has had many successes and achievements.

It has expanded the relationship with Girl Guides Australia 19 and been 20 involved with 21 several successful projects with them, the Victorian Snoozefest in April 2018, the “Great Bag Migration” for the Interna24 tional Jamboree in Sydney in October 2018 and other interactions that are expanding the knowledge of the transport in26 dustry.

We launched the Women Driving Transport Careers initiative with our partners Wodonga TAFE and Volvo Group at the 2018 TWAL Creating Connections conference.

This initiative has been in hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic but all partners are excited to move forward to expand the program as soon as possible.

We held a well attended and exciting conference in May 2018 and we have plans in place with the date saved and venue booked for our Driving the Difference 2021 conference

1 What are herds, or flocks (6) Name a horse one year old (8) 8 Which term describes occurrences (6) 9 What is a wire also known as (8) 10 Name the term that suggests quickly, or immediately 11 (6) To elongate, is to do what (8) 13 When one prognosticates, one does what (8) 16 What are dome-shaped Eskimo huts (6) 19 Which arachnid has a long narrow abdomen 22 terminating in a venomous sting (8) Which dish is served at dinner before the main 24 course (6) Name a fire-resistant fabric used for making 25 incombustible articles (8) Name the upper and smaller house of the Australian 26 Parliament (6)

Down

2 What is a sea-robber or pirate (5) Name the most brilliant planet (5) 3 4 Which term describes the rhythmical contraction of

the heart (8) 5 To be lofty, is to be what (4) To dismount, is to do what (6) 6 7 To interlock with, is to do what (6) Which term implies “otherwise” (4) 12 14 Which term suggests curiosity (8) 15 Who was the lady friend of Leander (4) Name the mid-morning break in primary school (6) 17 18 What are funeral songs (6) Which language was spoken in ancient Rome (5) 20 21 To be open to view, is to be what (5) 23 To have an enthusiasm for, is to be what (4)

D R O V E S O E Y E V E N T S E U T P R E S T O L L S I P R E D I C E I S C O R P I E G N A S B E S T S S O

T A E A R L I L I E L E G R H E N G T H O E T S R I G L O A O N E N T R I O S S E N A

E N G G A M G E N

O S V E E R T E

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE Across: 1 Droves, 8 Yearling, 9 Events, 10 Telegram, 11 Presto, 13 Lengthen, 16 Predicts, 19 Igloos, 22 Scorpion, 24 Entree, 25 Asbestos, 26 Senate.

2

Down: 2 Rover, 3 Venus, 4 Systolic, 5 Tall, 6 Alight, 7 Engage, 12 Else, 14 Nosiness, 15 Hero, 17 Recess, 18 Dirges, 20 Latin, 21 Overt, 23 Into.

1

CELEBRATING ACHIEVEMENTS: Jacquelene Brotherton (far right) enjoys a night of celebration at a Transport Women Limited event with (from left) Rachel Hesse, Paul Fleiszig and Coralie Chapman.

Picture: Contributed

in Melbourne.

1 In November 2019 we celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the organisation (TWAL) with a fabulous gala dinner at The Windsor Melbourne where we also presented our first four 9 the 10 winners 8 of the Driving Difference scholarships with our amazing sponsor, Daimler Truck and 12Bus Asia Pacific.

We also presented the inaugural Trish Pickering Mem-

orial 2 Award, sponsored 3 by the wonderful Wes Pickering.

This was awarded for longterm outstanding contribution 7 transby a female to the road port industry, the inaugural winner was Pam McMillan the longest serving director and chair of Transport Women Australia Limited.

This is an annual 13 award and 14 the recipient of the 2020 Trish Pickering Memorial Award

will 4 be announced later 5 6 this year at an event still to be determined.

We have also launched our Learning Initiatives Breakfast Series with several partners so far, including NTI, MOVE 11and rt health.

BANK In early 2020 the Creating Connections Mentoring program was finally ready to commence with both mentors and mentees signing up to the pro-

15

Across

gram.

Strong and healthy 1 I would like to thank the 4 Ship’s record fantastic team at Big Rigs 7 Ooze for outtheir incredible newspaper 8 Shallow containers support and wish them on11 Encountered going success. hope thatear I get the oppor12I Of the tunity to continue to work with 13 Faucets some of them and so work to15 Singer wards making the trucking in16 Snake dustry a better appreciated, 20 Fish and a safer place for our peo23 Top of the head ple.

24 Clamour 25 Of a choir 26 Decree 27 Meshed fabric 28 Firm

Fighting to end the inequality: Big Rigs and TWU played their parts 16 17 18 19 HARD

T E X S T A D V I P H O S T E

P E R A T E R A L A A D Y

L U M P

O G D E E T S

HARD

22 25

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industry as dry as they can.

They want operators to meet their unrealistic deadlines and take on more freight for less or they face the risk of

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23

losing their contracts and the ability to support their families.

It appears the government does not care.

There are unsafe vehicles, dodgy licences, poor payment times, wage and superannuation theft – just a few of the many things we have called for to be stopped.

A reminder to governments and the transport industry clients: the industry that has kept Australia moving during the pandemic is facing an uphill battle.

Employer groups should be standing alongside transport workers to unite for a safer and fairer industry.

QUICK CROSSWORD Across: 1 Robust, 4 Log, 7 Exude, 8 Basins, 11 Met, 12 Otic, 13 Taps, 15 Tenor, 16 Viper, 20 Tuna, 23 Pate, 24 Din, 25 Choral, 26 Edict, 27 Net, 28 Steady.

R O B U S N O B A S I N O T I C T E N O R R T U N A C D I N E D I C T N E T S

EASY

policy that should be keeping safe one of the most dangerous 20 21 industries in Australia.

To quote one truck driver turned Australian senator, 24 “a death at work Glenn Sterle, or on the road should not be the price of doing business”.

The TWU 26 puts it to governments that we must stop the inequality that exists between truck drivers and clients.

27must be paid proper Drivers rates, owner-drivers must be able to trust they will be paid properly for the work they do and on time. Families depend on this.

Many of the ongoing problems that occur are down to the big clients squeezing our

Down: 1 Robot, 2 Unicorn, 3 Test, 4 Lump, 5 Odes, 6 Get, 9 Ate, 10 Sin, 14 Adipose, 17 Par, 18 Eta, 19 Relay, 20 Tide, 21 Unit, 22 Acts, 24 Den.

THIS is the end of an era, the last TWU column in the trusted transport industry publication Big Rigs.

Over the years the TWU and Big Rigs have played their parts in the role of keeping the top end of town accountable and doing our bit to look out for the rights of the little guy.

It’s still about the voice that speaks out for the truck driver,

the owner and the employee.

It’s been the voice that calls out for fair pay for the work you do, for safety in the drivers’ cab and on the road, the voice that seeks to relieve the pressure on the driver pushed by clients’ incessant cries for increased productivity for the same rates and conditions.

It is obvious we still have a long way to go – we have been through countless road, freight and transport ministers and nothing changes.

Truck drivers are still dying at work.

It’s a pretty safe bet to say this is due to the lack of strong government policy in place,

A final reminder to all Big Down Rigs readers: now is the time to 1 Automaton unite, now is the time to ensure 2 Fabled animal equality in this industry.

3 Examine Together we can stand on 4 Protuberance common ground working to 5 Lyric poems ensure the government contin6 Obtain ues to support transport work9 Consumed ers and the industry they support.

10 Wrongdoing TWU will continue to 14The Fatty voice the needs of transport 17 Equality workers to letter the employers, 18 Greek their industry bodies and the 19 Transmit in stages clients.

20Better Season standards mean job 21 Single security and entity ultimately a safer 22 Performs and fairer industry for all.

24We Lair can lift the standards we need together – our lives depend on it.

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EVENTS 55

BIGRIGS.COM.AU FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 17 2021

Lights on the Hill Memorial Convoy set to return

The memorial convoy will depart from the Port of Brisbane and Brown and Hurley in Toowoomba.

ON October 2, the Lights on the Hill Memorial Convoy will once again snake its way through Toowoomba and Brisbane to converge on the Gatton Showgrounds in memory of drivers who have passed away.

Last year, the convoy couldn’t go ahead, due to the uncertainties that surrounded the evolving Covid-19 situation.

Although, it is still a concern 12 months on, the committee is focussed on trying to ensure that the transport industry is celebrated for carrying Australia through this pandemic.

No other industry must continually jump through so many hoops to continue to do their job safely, and this has never been more evident than with the intrastate lockdowns and ever-changing rules and

Following the convoy, trucks will converge at the Gatton Showgrounds. Photos: Shutter Shock Photography

regulations that comes with the covid-19 pandemic.

The memorial convoy will depart at 9.30am from the corner of Whimbrel Street and Sandpiper Avenue at the Port of Brisbane; and Brown and Hurley on Carrington Road, Toowoomba.

With special thanks to the assistance of Scott Buchholz MP and Gary Mahon, president of the QTA, who worked with Queensland Police commissioner and Transport and Main Roads, the Toowoomba convoy has been given special allowance to travel for the first time since 2015 through Toowoomba and down the Toowoomba Range through Withcott. Many of the drivers who take part in the event have been wanting this to happen for some time and it’s sure to be a spectacle.

The Showgrounds will once again have live music, a market, food and trade stalls, as well as kids rides, a truck show, charity auction and bar. To ensure the event is Covid safe, only online tickets are available.

The annual memorial service will be held on October 3, commencing from 10am at the Lake Apex Memorial wall. It is

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The drivers whose names will be placed on the wall this year are: Michael George ABBOTT ‘Mick’ David John BALL ‘Balls’ Gary John BARLOW ‘Barlow’ Dean Anthony BATCHELOR ‘Furry’ Allan William BELL ‘Belly’ Godfrey Lyle BERRY ‘Lyle’ Ronald Patrick BLAKE ‘The Hat’ Michael Rodney BOURKE ‘Bourkey’ Stephen James BOWEN ‘Steve’ Norman Charles BRADLEY ‘Tiger’ Gregory Paul CHERRY ‘Chez’ Errol John CLEM ‘Clemy’ Kenneth John COLLIER ‘Tiny’ James Kenneth John COOP ‘Jamie’ Maurice John COWEN ‘Maurie’ Eric John CRANE ‘Pigme’ Lloyd DARGUSCH Gregory Craig EDWARDS ‘Greggy’ Trevor ENGLISH Harold GIMM ‘Bill’ Ian Thomas GREEN ‘Greeny’ David William HADDON Kenneth Roy Carthew HADDON John Joseph HILES ‘Jonny’ James Fredrick HINDLE ‘Jimbo’ Leon Thomas HOLSTEIN

a free event and anyone is welcome to attend, however online

Mark Raymond JOHNSON Kevin Eric JONES ‘Rocker’ Jared KAREZ ‘Jad’ William Roy KRAUSE ‘Billy’ John Graham LEGGATT ‘Leggy’ John Arthur MCKENZIE ‘Johnny’ Arnold Ronald MERKER ‘Ronnie’ Bernard Edward MYLES ‘Bernie’ Henry George PAINTER ‘Charlie’ Raymond PEPPER ‘Doc’ Jason Andrew SHARD ‘Shardy’ Alan Trevor SHIMMIN ‘Sambo’ Bert RAINER ‘Bakko’ Shane Francis RANKIN John RITCHIE ‘JR’ Geoffrey Alexander ROWE ‘Geoff’ Terrence Rodney STEINHARDT ‘Terry’ Reuben Neil STEVENSON ‘Neil’ or ‘Stevo’ Mark John THATCHER Nathan Kyle TURNER ‘Mini Hole’ Callan John WATTS ‘Wattsy’ Warren Dale WEIER ‘Wazz’ or ‘Wazza’ Barry James WHITE Lester George WILKINS ‘Joe’ Kenneth John WILSON ‘Ken’ Edwin WOLFENDEN ‘Eddie’ Kevin Anthony YOUNG May they all rest in peace.

bookings are essential. The service will also be live streamed

for anyone who is unable to attend.

2021 L IGHTS ON THE HILL

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