Such a lot has happened since the last column, but the wheels keep turning regardless. We have had a change of government in NSW, what that change will mean to the trucking industry we will have to wait and see.
Transport Women Australia Limited had three finalists in the Australian Trucking Association National Industry Awards held on the Sunshine Coast on March 31, unfortunately neither of our members took out the award for Woman of The Year, but it went to a very deserving winner in Alina Hawkins, the chief operating officer of the Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria.
I was very honoured and humbled to be awarded the Outstanding Contribution to The Australian Trucking Industry Award at these awards, in front of such a wonderful crowd of colleagues and friends.
The other winners on the night were CMV Truck & Bus (Training Excellence Award); SeaRoad Logistics (Trucksafe John Kelly Award); and Steve Broadbent for the Truck Driver of the Year. The prestigious Don Watson Memorial Award was presented to Ron Finemore for his outstanding contribution to the industry over a lifetime. It could not have gone to a more deserving recipient. Ron Finemore Transport is a corporate member and sponsor of TWAL, so we were well represented in the latter part of the evening among the awards.
We had several of our members, including our nominee Caitlin Barlow (of corporate member JATEC Transport), Divinia Eather (of corporate member Eather Group) and Orlane Mortimer and Rebecca Neilsen taking part in the Teletrac Navman Driving Change Diversity Program.
We also had a huge number of TWAL members (men and women) attending the conference overall, including immediate past chair and life member, Pam McMillan, previous chair, Merry Manton, and life member Denis Robertson. The TWAL board was represented by Coralie Chapman, Annastasia Denigan and Simone Reinertsen.
Our vice chair Coralie Chapman is gearing up for the big TWAL breakfast at the Brisbane Truck Show. Everyone is getting super excited now after the highly successful ATA Trucking Australia conference is over.
Transport Women Australia Limited is very fortunate to have such wonderful women and men in our organisation and it makes us so proud and confident the industry is going to be in safe hands.
The number of young people attending and participating in the ATA Trucking Australia event shows what a vibrant, healthy industry trucking is, and if we can get that message out, we are sure to attract the people we need, both young and old.
We are now excited to be working on nominations to enter five of our members in the Women in Industry Awards and we are always hopeful of the results. The winners will be announced in early June.
We have nominations already coming in for the Dream Maker Awards which will be presented at the Transport Women Unite Red Ball at Alice Springs in August at the Festival of Transport.
For any queries regarding Transport Women Australia Limited, visit our website transportwomen.com.au or email chair@transportwomen.com.au or phone 0417 422 319.
- Jacquelene Brotherton is chair of Transport Women Australia Limited