The Australian Logistics Council (ALC) has welcomed the announcement that Nationals Leader and incoming Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss is to become Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development.
“Warren Truss is an experienced and knowledgeable minister who has a very good understanding of the issues facing the freight logistics industry,” said Michael Kilgariff, ALC Managing Director. “ALC welcomes his appointment and looks forward to working with him on behalf of Australia’s freight logistics industry to improve supply chain efficiency. ALC estimates the industry generates an estimated 14.5% of Australia’s GDP and provides more than one million jobs across 165,000 companies. Every 1.5 per cent increase in supply chain efficiency will deliver around $1.5 billion benefit to the national economy.
“Mr Truss’s previous ministerial experience, including in the transport portfolio, means he is well equipped to move swiftly on implementing the Coalition’s infrastructure and transport policies, many of which ALC supports. This includes strengthening the role of Infrastructure Australia and providing it with the resources to ensure it can facilitate greater private sector investment in our critical logistics infrastructure. ALC highlighted this issue as a priority action item in its election priorities publication, Time To Deliver.
“ALC also looks forward to the Government placing a greater emphasis on ensuring infrastructure projects are subject to rigorous cost benefit analysis to ensure they meet robust economic principles. We also look to Mr Truss and the Assistant Minister for Infrastructure Jamie Briggs to provide ongoing leadership at the federal level to ensure the full economic benefits from the establishment of national regulators for rail safety, maritime safety and heavy vehicles are realised.
“While the three national regulators have been established, there is still much work to be done to ensure Australians enjoy the full benefits of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, which will require strong national leadership and cooperation from state and territory governments.”
Kilgariff said Truss’s detailed knowledge of rural Australia would help to ensure there is a strong focus at the federal level on improving transport links between our cities and non-metropolitan Australia. ALC looks for Truss’s support on the issue of improving access for heavy vehicles in rural areas which can often be frustrated by local councils due to insufficient expertise and resources,”
Kilgariff also encouraged the incoming Government to prioritise the construction of a second airport at Badgery’s Creek, improving freight rail links in major cities, continuing the push towards appropriate road pricing and investment reforms and reviewing the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal and the coastal shipping laws.
“ALC also wishes to pay particular tribute to the substantial work of former Infrastructure and Transport Minister Anthony Albanese,” said Kilgariff. “Mr Albanese created a genuine partnership with industry in establishing Infrastructure Australia and creating Australia’s first national transport regulators and we look forward to him continuing that focus on industry partnerships in whatever future Opposition role he takes on.”
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