Fuel tax increase cancelled

was spent on the farm and with trucks. Basically, I’ve grown up with the trucks.

My hobbies involve anything to do with a motor – especially motorbikes. These days it is mostly helping the kids with their bikes and riding.

I’ve travelled to NZ and the UK and the rest of my travel has been behind the steering wheel.

Transport has been a passion of mine since I started walking. I followed Dad around everywhere when he was home. I grabbed every opportunity I could to get in the truck with Dad. I think it is pretty much in my blood and can’t see myself doing anything else until I’m too old to deal with trucks and I get to the stage I have had enough. Then I’ll probably disappear and run a caravan park where I can still talk and meet different people.

You’re in a family business with your parents. What advice would you give to other young people in the same situation about how to make it work?

Communication is essential. You have to realise that your parents haven’t got to where they are without knowing a thing or two. Rather than coming in thinking you know everything you need to listen and ask advice. Talk about the job on hand down to the smallest issue that might be playing on your mind. They might have been in the same situation. I talk to Dad sometimes every half an hour. He often rings to get my thoughts on something.

Variety. Especially how our business works – livestock, general freight, bulk, and oil. Some weeks it is the same day in day out and the next week you might have a different job every day. We get to see different regions, different areas and meet new and different people everywhere we go.

Being away from my family. I could go to work thinking I am going to get home that night but there is a change of plans and all of a sudden I am not home for two weeks. I might miss out on a sporting carnival, school ball, or graduation when I had promised to be there. I even miss helping with homework.

(Hesitates)– Not specifically. I always encourage them to follow their heart’s desire and dreams. My older girls have their own passions which I support. The boys say they want to drive trucks but that could change. It would be awesome for another generation to work alongside me, but whatever they choose – it is completely their decision.

So many different aspects of the industry. Probably I’d like to see more of a level playing field with overall lengths and weights and combinations - getting more streamlined for trailer lengths to make it easier to put configurations together rather than every build being different for every prime mover. It would make life in rural transport a lot easier.

Give them a chance. You hear too often with job applications that they need a minimum of 2 -5 years’ experience, but these young kids trying to get into the industry are not going to get experience without someone giving them a go. It won’t

be the big job they want to start with, but they have to start somewhere. I know a few blokes that want to drive that can’t get a leg in the door. They just need to be around trucks for a while maybe even as a yardman and have a chance to prove themselves. We need to work with the insurance industry as well to make it easier to employ young people.

I was driven by my passion for the industry and to try to help it progress and make changes for the better.

was before the double hit of the bushfires and the epidemic.

“As a result of the decision, the road user charge will remain at its current level, 25.8 cents per litre.

ALRTA National President Stephen said the decision was welcome news for all Australian businesses and consumers.

“An increased tax on trucks would have been an increased tax on everyone,” said Mr Marley.

“I would like to thank the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Michael McCormack MP, for regularly consulting with ALRTA during the bushfires and COVID-19 response and Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport, the Hon Scott Buchholz MP, who has taken a keen interest in the impact of heavy vehicle charging decisions in regional Australia. These two leaders have championed a sensible and pragmatic decision at a time when government revenue is also under threat.”

“During the period 2014 – 2019 our industry was over charged more than $1b. If ever there was a time to rebuild trust by giving some of it back, now is that time. The Federal Government decision to freeze the Road User Charge should be a wake-up call to State Governments who are still considering a 2.5 percent increase in heavy vehicle registration charges to apply from 1 July 2020.”

I have met a lot of new people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise. I’m now a little bit more confident in speaking and meeting new people. As much as I can talk to anyone, breaking the ice has always been hard, so being on the committee has helped.

“I call on all State Governments to similarly freeze heavy vehicle registration charges,” he said.