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Buchholz in paen to local truckmaking

Minister lauds Australia's role in global manufacturing supply chain

 

The federal government’s transport engagement offensive has progressed to the manufacturing sector, with Australia’s truckmakers receiving a ringing ministerial endorsement.  

Assistant minister for road safety and freight transport Scott Buchholz toured Paccar’s Bayswater plant, which manufactures the Kenworth and DAF brands, having previously visited Volvo Group’s Wacol site.

Forming part of the re-elected transport ministry, Buchholz tells ATN the purpose of the tour is to “strategically introduce ourselves” to different sectors of industry to hear a diverse range of views, with this particular appointment aimed at understanding the scope of the truckmakers’ operations.

Having recently accompanied federal transport minister Michael McCormack to a roundtable with the National Road Freighters Association (NRFA) at Hopkins Brothers’ depot in Rockhampton, ATN understands his visit also spans transport companies SCT Logistics and Toll, and trailer makers Haulmark and Moore.


Read more about the issues heard at Hopkins Brothers, here


“As the government, we want to be the voice of industry and sit and listen to the concerns of manufacturers and producers,” Buchholz says.

“Margins are dwindling. We don’t want people exiting the industry due to crippling costs.

“The greater our relationship with people affected by industry legislation, we’ll get that legislation right.

“We are working with state counterparts, harmonising state regulations to move forward nationally.

“We also want safe trucks, safe roads and that our drivers get home safe.”

Buchholz Volvo.jpg

Having seen the manufacturing side Buchholz is encouraged by Australia’s role as an “integral part of the global manufacturing supply chain”.

“Parent companies see Australia as a great place to do business,” he says.

“They [parliamentary peers] say manufacturing is dead but I rebut them with fact.

“Manufacturing is alive and growing, procuring large chunks of capital investments, increasing their productivity with a positive flow-on effect to suppliers.”

 

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