Autumn is here and we have more small to medium trucking companies closing their doors. The weather is still playing havoc with roads and peoples’ lives and we are still confronted with disruptions in so many parts of our lives and businesses. It seems that 2023 will continue to challenge our fortitude.
Some other countries’ leaders resigned because they “didn’t have enough left in the tank” and we will wish that some others would follow suit.
There seems to be so many politicians and bureaucrats around the world and so few statesmen. Where have they all gone? And will we find them again?
There is no leader of the free world anymore and we definutely cannot look at the current US leadership, where this mantle has supposedly rested in the past, so where do we look to now?
Luckily for the trucking industry we have wonderful leaders and so many talented second and third generations coming up through the ranks. The leadership is looking good for the immediate future.
At Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) we are always nominating amazing women amongst the TWAL membership for awards; but so many deserving women think that they are not worthy and don’t want to be nominated.
We all need to be proud of our achievements, to show anyone wanting to enter the industry that they too can reach the same heights and achieve the same success. We can only change the image of our industry if we can showcase the role models in a public and positive way as often as possible.
TWAL is doing this as often as we can and have entered two outstanding women from NSW in the Road Freight NSW awards in the Outstanding Newcomer, and the Woman of the Year categories.
We have also nominated members in the Australian Trucking Association awards in the Woman of the Year, Driver of the Year and the Outstanding Contribution to Industry categories, so we shall wish the nominees every success. And we hope that we will be celebrating in the coming weeks.
As soon as we have celebrated international Women’s Day (IWD), we will be announcing a speaker for the Brisbane Truck Show breakfast and planning activities around National Safety Week.
The speakers have been announced for the Wollongong IWD dinner. They are Louise Azzopardi, Orlane Mortimer and Karen Bonenfant. In Melbourne, we have Wendy Mawoyo, Suji Sanjeevan and Sonya Comninos. In Dubbo, we have Sharon Hourn, Sheree Chellas and a representative from SCT Logistics.
In Perth, we will do something different and have a trivia night with questions involving both famous and infamous women. We have yet to decide on the program for our Launceston and Wodonga functions.
The schools’ initiatives in NSW is continuing well and we really appreciate the volunteers that devote so much time to making this project a success, and we could not do it without the organisation of TWAL company secretary and director, True Ross-Sawrey. Without her utmost dedication, this initiative would not be the success it is and the team of volunteers she has gathered in the Sydney and Illawarra region is nothing short of amazing. TWAL is extremely grateful for their dedication.
To contact Transport Women Australia Limited about initiatives, membership or events – please email chair@transportwomen.com.au or call 0417 422 319.
- Jacquelene Brotherton is chair of Transport Women Australia