The VTA has announced the full program of speakers ahead of next month’s State Conference in Phillip Island
The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) says skills training, people, industrial relations and infrastructure are prominent on the agenda of the provisional program for next month’s State Conference 2023.
The VTA says the conference, to be held in Phillip Island, features a strong line-up of presenters from government, regulators, training providers, infrastructure authorities and employer and employee representative groups.
“The VTA team has made great progress planning State Conference 2023 and I am pleased to share our provisional program, which features all the transport industry stakeholders joining us at Silverwater Resort next month for important discussions on the big issues confronting freight operators and suppliers,” VTA CEO Peter Anderson says.
“We’ve selected People First – Managing Transport’s Greatest Asset as our Conference theme, which has been inspired by the enormous challenges freight operators have had in recent years when it comes to attracting, hiring and retaining staff.
“The pandemic has amplified entrenched transport industry worker shortages and at the Conference we’ll outline practical solutions to this problem.”
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Among the more than 30 presenters lined up to address Conference delegates are Commonwealth and Victorian roads, transport and freight ministers and their opposition shadows, senior representatives from state and national road, safety and freight authorities, infrastructure bodies and supplier representatives covering the major prime mover, equipment, and technology manufacturers.
Key speakers include:
• WA Labor Senator and Senate Rural Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee Chair, Glenn Sterle
• Victorian Senator and Shadow Transport, Infrastructure & Regional Development Minister, Bridget McKenzie
• Victorian Roads & Road Safety and Ports & Freight Minister, Melissa Horne
• NHVR CEO, Sal Petroccitto
• Transport Workers’ Union National Secretary Michael Kaine
• Freight Victoria Director Policy and Strategy, Andrew Newman
• Victorian Department of Transport and Planning Executive Director Antoinette Batista
• Queensland Trucking Association CEO, Gary Mahon
“The Conference is a unique opportunity to hear from experts on a wide range of topics and issues. It’s also a chance for operators to engage directly with key decision makers from government and regulators, making them active participants on the issues that matter most in our industry and helping to bring about meaningful change,” Anderson says.