Foreword
Infrastructure and Transport Ministers' Foreword
The past 12 months have been difficult for many. At a personal level, multiple lockdowns, fluctuating numbers of COVID cases, extensive contact tracing and inability to travel to be with family and friends are taking their toll. But we should take thought of those that work behind the scenes to keep Australia running.
Our doctors, nurses, supporting staff and contact tracers are the heroes of the pandemic. But there are others, less well known or in the spotlight, that also deserve recognition.
Our transport operators, truck and train drivers, maritime and air cargo pilots, stevedores, intermodal workers, logistics planners, waste removers and shelf-stackers – everyone in the freight and supply chain industry plays a critical role in ensuring Australians get what they need, when they need it.
All levels of government have been working together to keep freight moving. From mid-2020, the National Cabinet’s Freight Movement Code has been operational, aiming to balance the need for efficient movement of goods with the safety of both the workforce and broader community.
Although the spread of COVID-19 by inter-state freight operators made headlines in mid-2021, it is important to remember that very few of the outbreaks in Australia to date have been caused by supply chain activities. This is testament to the freight industry’s and governments’ ongoing and firm commitment to keeping Australia safe.
Infrastructure and Transport Ministers