ATN #418

NEWS
Dogs & Chains
3 One of the constant puzzles here in Godzone
is the attitude towards technology. Many bemoan
that conservative Australia prefers being first
to be 10th in anything cutting edge. Of course,
trucking puts a lie to that, particularly with
combinations. And then there are the historical
innovations: utes; Hills hoist; black box flight
recorders; electronic pacemakers; spray-on skin;
Google Maps; penicillin improvements; Cochlear
bionic ear; electric drill. Yep, brilliant! So, how is it
that Qube was forced to write down $215 million
on automation at its container import-export
operation at Moorebank? That’s a fair chunk
before the $1.67 million it got from Logos and
partners. Slow business growth in Sydney’s
south-west, the company says. Things to ponder
there on the pitfalls of really long-term planning.
3 Meanwhile, can someone tell the good folk at the Australian Financial Review’s Street Talk that just because you lease or sell reefer trucks,
that doesn’t make you a trucking company? Sigh. So far, Scully RSV’s merger with Australian Trailer Rentals is a hire and rental play
. . . only. “Reckon they got such a vicarious thrill about getting a chance to print ‘trucking’ that, hugging themselves in glee, they forgot about
accuracy,” our refrigerated snout with the cold nose sniffs. Harsh, and, well, we all make mistakes, but this is what the industry is up against.
3 Could it be that attitudes are changing to the Australian refrigerated
transport sector? And is it a good thing that it seems only private equity
and the biggest T&L players are interested? Is that now the natural
scheme of things? Such were the musings early in the month as
interested parties were abuzz with rumours that Linfox was running the
rule over Hernes Freight Service and Minus 1 Refrigerated Transport.
We’ve always been fond of the former’s motto: “If it’s Cool, it’s Hernes”.
Long may the sector continue to be. Cool, that is! Figuring only Linfox
would be in a position to answer, especially if true, we asked and were
awaiting a response when deadline rolled around.
3 Speaking of social media, sometimes it’s hard to know whether to laugh, cry or just
shout to yourself something not fit for a family Dogs & Chains. It’s not often we cast
an eye over the goings-on at TikTok – well, never – but the image allegedly of a heavy
tipper truck driver snapped at a Snowy Mountains fuel stop wearing a Ku Klux Klan
headdress as an anti-Covid 19 mask changed that. And, yes, egregiously, this appears
to be what’s shown. And the poster also shot the truck’s rego plate. Nothing good can
come of it. Sure, these are crazy times and some of us may not be thinking straight
but people need to be better than this . . .
3 Speaking of egregious, state government efforts to cement container stevedore
profits through a pipeline directly from our purses and wallets is making progress
in the National Transport Commission. And, bless ’em, they’ve come up with a new
acronym for this undemocratic (remember, the states never told us or explained that
this was their plan) impost. Yes, come on down the stevedore infrastructure and
access charges (SIACs).They had to because the charges have morphed over the past
decade and cover a multitude of sins. If one was to be picky, one would argue that
there was no need for the “s” at the end as it is included in “containers”. Denizens of
the kennel were intrigued to see that, during consultations, NTC used the “U” word the
rest of this magazine is so fond of – unregulated. You could pull teeth from the mouths
of ministers more easily that have them admit to, or even use, the term. But then, the
NTC isn’t the states’ creature. A little thing but gratifying in its way.
8 ATN July 2021 FULLYLOADED.COM.AU