WARTA director sees closer engagement with industry issues, including infrastructure, as crucial
With Western Australian post-poll comment putting the change of government down to the electorate’s desire for change, the state trucking body is concerned about the apparent political toxicity of big road infrastructure projects.
With Perth Freight Link’s (PFL’s) Roe 8 set to go the way of Victoria’s East-West Link and pressure already on Sydney’s Westconnex, WA Road Transport Association (WARTA) executive director Cam Dumesny believes the transport and logistics industry will need to change its approach to such matters.
“The freight industry may well have to accept that this is the new political and social reality and that inner metropolitan ports, freight hubs etc may well be isolated from future investment in connectivity improvement,” Dumesny says.
“However, if we are to get these projects back on the agenda, we as an industry need to learn some hard lessons and do some basic ground work.”
He suggests the industry focus on three lessons from the election:
- connect with the community so it more fully appreciate transport’s benefits on cost of living, job security and economic prosperity
- join the “big end of the table” by engaging with peak business bodies, as the importance of the industry demands
- empower an academic with expert understanding of the industry to put its case to the public, rather as opponents do to its detriment.
Check out the full column in the April edition of ATN. Subscribe here.