Senator Glenn Sterle will lead the federal rest area initiative steering committee
The federal government says it is delivering on the $140 million heavy vehicle rest area initiative and has finalised the membership of the steering committee.
The steering committee will guide the process of providing rest areas to heavy vehicle drivers and give truckies a voice in shaping the projects which are funded through the initiative.
The committee will be chaired by former truck driver, Senator Glenn Sterle. Sterle will be joined on the steering committee by representatives of the following organisations:
- Michelle Harwood, Executive Director of the Tasmanian Transport Association, representing the Australian Transport Association. Michelle has extensive experience in formulating and delivering the Tasmanian Heavy Vehicle Driver Rest Area Strategy.
- Rod Hannifey, long term truck driver and road safety advocate, President of the National Road Freighters Association,
- John Beer, veteran long-distance truck driver and former President of the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association,
- Paul Ryan, Board Member of Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds.
The organisational representatives will be joined by five truck drivers, all of whom were selected through an expression of interest process:
- Kellie Boland: Kellie is from Victoria and her family has been owner-drivers for three generations. Boland has held a heavy vehicle license for 30 years
- Bruce Skelton: Bruce is from Queensland and has driven long haul trucks for 40 years. He has been involved in advocating for the correct use of heavy vehicle rest areas
- Frank Black (Arcidiaco): Frank is from South Australia and has driven long haul trucks for 35 years. Black has been the owner driver representative on the Australian Trucking Association general council for the past 20 years
- Heather Jones: Heather is from Western Australia and has driven long haul trucks for more than 30 years. Jones sits on the WA Road Freight Industry Council and is the Co-Founder of the Pilbara Heavy Haulage Girls
- Craig Forsyth: Craig is from New South Wales and has driven heavy vehicles for 26 years. Forsyth is currently an owner driver and travelling 4,500 kms per week and is a Board Member of the National Road Freighters Association.
The steering committee will meet for the first time in February.
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“The Heavy Vehicle Rest Area Initiative Steering Committee is the first step in delivering the Albanese Labor Governments $140 million Rest Area Initiative,” assistant transport minister Carol Brown says.
“Drivers like Rod Hannifey, who has driven more than 6 million kilometres, or the circumference of Australia more than forty thousand times, will offer invaluable insights.
“Along with Chair and former truck driver Senator Glenn Sterle, I look forward to working with the steering committee to deliver new and improved heavy vehicle rest areas across the country.”
Sterle says: “I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of the federal government which is delivering for the transport industry and our essential truckies. The announcement of the membership of the steering committee means that we can now get to work to deliver meaningful outcomes for truck drivers.”
“I’d like to thank every driver who took time out of their busy schedule to complete an expression of interest to be a part of this process and offer my congratulations to those who have been selected.”