Reflections 20-21

REFLECTIONS OVER THE YEARS

I can say without a shadow of a doubt and I am sure that the supply chain industry would agree with me that the last few years in particular 2020-2021 have thrown up the most intense challenges our sector has ever seen particularly in transport & logistics. ?Even though the challenges have been enormous more so than ever it has highlighted the critical importance of our right to demand better conditions and support from government, customers and consumers alike.?At no point in time have we ever had a better opportunity to be seen for what we do and how critical we are to Australia’s economic prosperity.??

The list of growing demands from the market and price erosion due to competitive factors, broken trade agreements, soaring infrastructure costs, closed international borders, rising port costs, inflation bubbling under the surface and the dreaded strains of COVID will bring further challenges in 2022. It is important however that we mark this moment in time, increase consumers education of the laws that we must abide by, demand better payment and conditions for our drivers and fairer prices from our customers to keep the wheels of our industry turning.??There will be more endless regulation to come, staff shortages due to no immigration, however we cannot interminably be thought of as the bottom of the food chain.

This industry has been through so much and we simply cannot continue to be the fodder or first stop shop for companies who use any non-compliant suppliers’ services to cut their costs by cutting out the legitimate transport companies without sending the sector into disarray.?We all work together and so in a year when market conditions were unimaginable, the squeeze on capacity and increases in competitiveness amongst carriers it needs to be acknowledged.?In my experience this year we and our competitors have done it well given that everyone understands the capacity issues and shortage of drivers and staff that collectively this industry recognises.?Transport is growing quickly, but we need to attract young talent by encouraging revised licencing rules for HR vehicle drivers, we need to train more so than ever before and we need to ask for better working conditions and pay just as every other profession does.

The growing demand means people are leaving the industry more quickly and we can’t replace them as fast as we lose them and those shortages will affect every square inch of this country to satisfy pent up demand for fuel, food, pharmaceuticals in fact all sectors; they are all reliant on transport & logistics.?No Ad Blue has significantly affected movement and without government intervention, new trade deals and fast, the consequences are not worth contemplating.?Sustainable globalised solutions for a cleaner tomorrow may need further exploration given the need for Ad Blue, we all like a cleaner environment, and with the drive towards zero emissions and new and innovative technologies, however we simply can’t stop essential services from operating.?If there continues to be lack of government interest in fuelling this sector then the wheels will fall off and the lucky country may be ground to a halt if we cannot satisfy the growing demands of freight in the next 10-20 years.

The upheaval all carriers have witnessed yet the steely resilience of the industry has shown that we will continue to strive to meet the essential role of movement of goods and services in the supply chain.?In the two years since the first COVID outbreak and changes to our working conditions all business’ have had to adapt none more so than now.

Whatever the future may bring I thank all the team for going above and beyond and industry colleagues who have been nothing but stoic in the face of adversity. Together we will continue to face the transport and logistics challenges that lie ahead of us head on.

Thank you to all the advocates and supporters of our company, the peak bodies and our valued partners for 2021.?May 2022 bring you all better market conditions to operate in and continued success.