Conferences, lobbying and other engagement efforts form refreshed strategy
The Australian Trucking Association’s (ATA’s) annual general meeting has reiterated a commitment to push on with its line-up of ongoing initiatives and campaigns after a Covid-interrupted year.
The association outlines the development of a new strategic plan and strengthening industry safety and productivity as high on its priority list, with chair David Smith today revealing the 2021 agenda at the AGM.
“In developing a new strategic plan, we will seek to clarify the role of the ATA, avoid duplicating the work of our member associations, and increase our focus on strategic projects,” Smith says.
“We will continue to provide input into the Heavy Vehicle National Law [HVNL] review and maintain our efforts on road pricing, while connecting and engaging industry through our future-focused events and initiatives like SafeT360, which will make its way around the country to teach road users how to share the road safely with trucks.
“In July we will deliver our 2021 Technology and Maintenance Conference in an interactive online format before bringing industry together to discuss the issues that matter most, at Trucking Australia in September.
“We will also deliver the career-defining Daimler Future Leaders’ Forum, now in its fourth year, and the ground-breaking Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Program.”
The meeting also sees the re-election of David Simon, Andy Divall, Simon Skazlic and Julie Russell to the ATA board, with Andrew Garrety re-elected as treasurer/secretary.
ATA’s latest commentary on ageing fleet proposals, here
During the AGM, Smith also reflects on the ATA’s activity and achievements in the last 12 months.
“While industry faced an unprecedented time with tragic bushfires across the country and a global pandemic, the ATA continued to advocate for industry,” Smith says.
“We have worked harder than ever to make sure our industry received the support it needed to keep Australia moving.
“This included making sure that trucking and heavy vehicle manufacturing was recognised as essential, rest facilities were kept open, and that border controls were nationally consistent.
“Together with our members and other associations, we secured critical economic recovery measures and achieved key reforms to improve fuel security.
“We implemented a new business and marketing plan for our TruckSafe accreditation program, pivoted our SafeT360 exhibition to a social media campaign that reached more than two million Australians and successfully delivered Trucking Australia 2020 and the 2020 Technology and Maintenance Conference as online events.”