A new NSW Freight Transport Advisory Council (FTAC) has been established this week, appointing 15 members to represent the industry. Inevitably, their success could change the game for producers and business owners across the Western Plains. 

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway announced the members of the new council yesterday, spouting them as a ‘wide cross-section of the industry’.

“The new body will not only discuss freight and supply chain issues, but provide input into Government strategies, policies, and projects. 



In the past eight months alone, the Western Plains App has reported on a number of issues facing the freight industry (particularly trucks).

Drivers’ health during Covid-19, fuel prices, driver shortages, training opportunities, border closures and road quality are the tip of the iceberg.

Freight and roads go hand in hand, and yet their impact on one another seems to be detrimental. While a big harvest last year accompanied by significant flood water saw freight trucks damaging local roads in the area, it was damaged roads that proved to be one of the biggest barriers to truck drivers in carting grain. 

For farmers in the area, trucks unable to get through roads was another barrier to salvaging a harvest already struck by floods. 

Member for Barwon Roy Butler took to Parliament on Wednesday, seeking assistance to fix the roads for the industry to continue. 

“The continued rain has meant councils are struggling to keep up with the repairs needed on thousands of kilometres of public roads,” Mr Butler said. 

If it wasn’t a lack of roads to drive on, a lack of drivers to get freight on the road came next. 

According to Brewarrina truck driver and owner Chris Redmond, the current complicated licence process is a deterrent for aspiring truck drivers. 

“It takes too long to get their licence. It’s a whole rigmarole with years before they can even drive. The cost is too high to make the wait worth it for most people,” Mr Redmond said. 

And as cases from the pandemic continue to rise and fall, truck driver safety seems to continuously be on the line. While isolation requirements kept trucks on roads, it also put drivers involuntarily at the frontline of the virus. 

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) claimed at the height of the pandemic that winding back truck driver isolation requirements was ‘beyond reckless. 

“We know even if you’re asymptomatic you can still spread the virus. Requiring potentially sick people to go to work won’t make supply chains healthy. Sick drivers won’t get stock onto supermarket shelves any faster but it will certainly help the virus hitch a ride across Australia,” TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said at the time.  

Despite the myriad of problems surrounding the current industry, the new council will meet just four times a year. 

“The new appointees come from a wide cross-section of industry, including road and rail bodies, intermodal operators, port representatives, couriers, retailers and producers,” Mr Farraway said.

“The wealth of industry leadership and experience on the council will mean better outcomes for the freight sector, which is expected to increase by 28 per cent to see 618 million tonnes moving across our state by 2036.” he said.

The NSW Freight Transport Advisory Council will replace the Freight and Logistics Advisory Council and the Road Freight Industry Council.