Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and the Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA) this evening received a letter from the Hon. Melissa Horne MP, Minister for Ports and Freight, and the Hon. Jaala Pulford MP, Minister for Roads, about keeping freight moving during the COVID-19 outbreak, essential to ensure everyone is able to get the goods they need and that other essential services can continue to operate – refer HERE.
In follow up engagement this evening, Freight Victoria executive confirmed to FTA/APSA that the Victorian Government has declared ports, freight, logistics and home delivery as essential services and these services will continue to operate, including the ports, roads, rail, maritime, stevedoring, intermodal, transfer facilities, freight yards and depots.
Aligned with the FTA / APSA advocacy, Freight Victoria also specifically confirmed that this extends to customs brokerages and freight forwarders.
The Australian Transport and Infrastructure Council has also confirmed the high-priority it places on the freight and logistics sector.
The Ministers have asked Freight Victoria to continue maintaining communications with FTA / APSA on actions to combat the COVID-19 outbreak and to provide an avenue to raise any issues of concern.
Freight Victoria is aware of the challenges facing the sector and the need to work together to safely and efficiently maintain operations of Victorian supply chains.
Freight Victoria will facilitate sharing of information and responses via the centralised process Government have established. As such, FTA / APSA has been invited to a teleconference on Monday 30 March, 2020 to identify the issues that members are facing, to provide a forum to fast-track responses and to "remove any roadblocks".
Paul Zalai - FTA/ APSA