Agenda & Presentations
Thursday, 11 September
3.30pm: NatRoad Annual General Meeting
- Location: The Carrington Hotel, 505 Wyndham St, Shepparton VIC 3630
6pm: NatRoad Industry Gala Dinner
Surrounded by one of Australia’s most impressive transport collections, guests enjoyed a stunning evening of connection, celebration, and recognition. The prestigious NatRoad Awards, where we honour individuals making an outstanding contribution to the road transport industry. With fine dining, entertainment, networking and a striking backdrop of classic vehicles and collections, this was a night not to be missed.
- Location: MOVE Museum of Vehicle Evolution. 7723 Goulburn Valley Highway, Shepparton Victoria.
Friday, 12 September
The Woolshed @Embark
- Location: The Woolshed @Embark, 7719 Goulburn Valley Highway, Shepparton Victoria. (Located behind MOVE.)
- 8.30am: Registration opened
- 9.00am: Conference sessions commenced
- 4.00pm: Conference sessions concluded
| Time | Speaker | Session title | Session summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.30am | Arrive and registration | ||
| 9am | Conference start | ||
| Paul Fellows, NatRoad Chair | Chair welcome | ||
| 9.15am | Senator Bridget McKenzie | Senator's address | |
| 9.30am | Gillian Bristow, Bristow Legal | Legal Update - the latest and greatest changes | Gillian will provide an overview of recent changes to laws affecting the industry, plus further changes expected in the next 12 months. She will also share some insights into the sorts of practical problems/issues that members may encounter, and steps you can take to manage your legal risks. View presentation slides here. |
| 10.15am | Jordan Caleo, AEI Insurance | Navigating Transport Insurance in a Changing Risk Landscape | In an evolving economic and regulatory environment, transport operators face increasing financial and legal exposures. Jordan will unpack key insurance considerations critical to protecting your business and its leadership. Topics include: • Trade Credit Insurance: How to safeguard your receivables from customer insolvencies amid economic uncertainty. • Marine Transit Insurance: Understanding the differences between Defined Events cover and Accidental Damage policies — and what’s right for your operation. • Contractual Risk Management: Identifying clauses that may void your insurance cover and practical strategies to avoid costly pitfalls. • Directors & Officers Insurance: Real-world case studies and a review of legislative updates, including the limits of cover where fines and penalties from WorkCover apply. This session is a must-attend for business owners, operators, and managers looking to reduce risk exposure and strengthen their insurance strategy. View presentation slides here. |
| 11.00am | Morning Tea | ||
| 11.30am | Matt Elischer, NAAS Ian Mond, VIC Roads |
Improving access certainty - Victorian and National approach to automating access assessments | A joint presentation between Victoria's Department of Transport and Planning, and the National Automated Access System (NAAS) Program that will cover the work being delivered to improve the timeliness and certainty of heavy vehicle access decisions. This session will include demonstrations of the Victorian structural assessment system (HVSAPS) and the national automated access system (which is powered by Tasmania's successful HVAMS) with discussion on how they will benefit operators. View presentation slides here and here. |
| 12.30pm | Brett Green - NHVR Kirstie Matthews - NHVR Adrian Redfern - NHVR Melissa Barry - Border Crane Consultants |
Safety vs Compliance | Inform, educate, enforce encapsulates the NHVR's approach to guiding a safer heavy vehicle industry - engaging industry at various levels to provide support and education around managing safety. But what is industry's approach? NHVR are here to discuss their process, as well as the trends seen in industry as the focus shifts from being compliant for the sake of being compliant, to actively choosing to manage safety irrespective of compliance. |
| 1.00pm | Lunch | ||
| 1.45pm | Dale Halling, ATO | Getting it Right, Making it Fair | Getting it Right, Making it Fair will focus on the Taxable Payments Reporting System—TPRS—and what it means for the Road Freight industry. We’ll be unpacking the Taxable Payments Annual Report, or TPAR, and addressing some of the key questions we hear from industry. We will cover topics including: • What is required to be reported in the TPAR • What constitutes contractors • The ATO’s definition of what are road freight services for reporting purposes • An overview of the industry from a Tax lens • How TPAR data is used to support a level playing field. • Online tools to support the road freight industry. View presentation slides here. |
| 2.15pm | Peter Anderson, Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) National Secretary | Minimum standards within the road transport industry | |
| 2.45pm | Kylie James, NatRoad HR Advisor | Member Matters: Top Industry Questions Answered | In this session, Kylie will share the most common HR questions raised by NatRoad members and the practical advice she offers in response. She brings a grounded, no-nonsense approach to helping operators manage their people. From wage rates and award conditions to tricky staffing issues, she’ll highlight the real-world challenges members are facing and how she’s helping them find straightforward solutions. View presentation slides here. |
| 3.30pm | Warren Clark, NatRoad CEO | Closing | |
| 4.00pm | Close |
