The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) is urging for a more inclusive approach to freight movement, emphasising the need for intermodal connectivity and stronger logistics policies to meet future demands.
In his opening remarks to VTA State Conference 2025, CEO Peter Anderson highlighted the importance of integrating various modes of transport to ensure efficient and safe freight delivery.
Over 200 delegates from the Victorian and national freight and logistics industry are gathered at Silverwater Resort, San Remo, for two days of talks under the theme Safety First: Empowering People, Boosting Productivity, Shaping Transport’s Future.
“As much as we will focus on road freight and the road transport industry, we must not forget that our future includes a greater inclusion of other modes in moving the volumes of freight that will be available to meet our customers’ demands,” said Anderson.
“Intermodal connectivity between road and rail, road and air, and road and sea will be vital to improve from where we are today to ensure that the standard of living does not diminish for all Australians.”
Anderson stressed the unique role of trucks in the delivery process.
“We must come to terms with the fact that ships, trains, and planes carry freight but only trucks deliver. And deliver they must. Volumes are not going to decrease, and you cannot deliver freight from a computer at home or by AI. We must touch and feel the goods we handle and be able to move them in the most productive, efficient, and safe manner possible.”
The VTA CEO also pointed out the challenges in building enough roads to meet future logistics obligations, suggesting that more freight will need to travel on other modes.
“How we do this, how much we will need to spend, and who will make the necessary decisions are questions that need to be addressed now,” added Anderson.
Anderson also called out some federal government agencies for their lack of support.
“Concentrating on the rules around autonomous vehicles or thinking that one mode will steal freight volumes off the other seems to be regressive and does not encourage the creation of policies that support intermodal harmonisation,” he said.
“The absence of clear and logical thinking in forming government policy around the transport and logistics industry is sadly lacking in this country.”
He singled out Austroads and the National Transport Commission as agencies needing improvement.
“Austroads needs to lift its game. The amalgam of state road agencies needs to understand what intermodal connectivity is about and it needs to engage with the industry, with operators, with associations, in such a way as to deliver policy and regulation that improves the working environment for the industry,” said Anderson.
Anderson was also critical of the slow progress of the national heavy vehicle driver licensing framework and the Heavy Vehicle National Law review.
“We want heavy vehicle drivers that are well trained and competent from day one of their working career within our industry and we want them to be trained at 18 years of age. The National Transport Commission, empowered to do the five-year review of the Heavy Vehicle National Law, started their review in 2017. The first review is still going, has very little change, and has no clear pathway for improvement.”
Anderson emphasised the need for support and understanding from government agencies.
“When advocating for our industry, the VTA is not afraid to call out those that are holding our industry back. But we need their support, we need them to understand how our industry works and what needs to be done to improve the working environment, so we become more productive, efficient, and safer on our roads.”
Victorian Minister for Roads & Road Safety and Ports & Freight, Melissa Horne, was one of around 30 speakers at conference and in her opening remarks expressed strong support for the freight industry, highlighting the state government’s commitment to infrastructure investments.
“From a state government perspective, we are truly supportive of your industry because we know how important it is to the Victorian economy,” Horne said.
“As a state that makes things and grows things, we are enormously reliant on having an effective freight sector to ensure our agricultural and manufacturing sectors are competitive.”
Horne emphasised the significance of major infrastructure projects.
“I want to highlight two of our massive investments that will transform the way that freight moves around the state. The West Gate Tunnel Project and the North East Link will be the biggest game changers to the way road freight moves around, really, since the construction of the West Gate Bridge nearly 50 years ago. The North East Link will allow you to pick up and deliver freight to places like Dandenong, confident in your travel times and overheads.”
She also mentioned the upcoming completion of the West Gate Tunnel.
“The West Gate Tunnel will bring double-digit improvements in productivity that, in many cases, will completely transform your operations. Being able to transport 40-foot containers at their maximum mass from places like Altona and Derrimut to the Port of Melbourne in half the time it takes today will be the game changer you need.”
Horne concluded by highlighting the government’s ongoing commitment to road maintenance and stakeholder engagement.
“We are spending an average of $2.6 million every single day on road maintenance. My department has an ongoing program of engagement with key stakeholders, like the VTA, to ensure we understand your priorities around road maintenance. Our roads move more than 350 million tons of freight and support an average of 4 billion kilometres of heavy vehicle movements every year. It’s vital that your industry is at the table when decisions are made on how we invest in road maintenance.”
In other news, the Australian Trucking Association today released its 2025 election campaign initiatives to improve safety for truck drivers.
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