The following is a summary of the last two days executive level advocacy activities completed by Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) and Australian Peak Shippers Association (APSA).
PARLIAMENTARY HEARING
30 JULY 2020 - David Scott (Commercial Freight & Logistics / Member Representative Sea – FTA / APSA) and I represented FTA/APSA before the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade (the Committee) into the public hearing 'Impact of COVID-19 on Australia's defence, trade and international relations'.
Further to our formal submission and supplementary submission to the Committee, we addressed the following needs: - to include the entire international supply chain as "essential services" in the event of further (stage 4) Victorian COVID-19 restrictions;
- increase digitalisation in statutory reporting;
- fund allocation for the entire air cargo supply chain throughout 2021 (at minimum);
- ACCC to focus on shipping line competition; and
- regulation to eradicate stevedore-imposed Infrastructure Surcharges / Terminal Access Charges.
To view the FTA / APSA opening statement to the Committee, please refer HERE
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE DEPUTY PM
31 JULY 2020 - Sean Richards (Executive General Manager Visy Logistics / APSA Chair), Olga Harriton (Global Logistics Manager Manildra Group / APSA Vice Chair), Stephen Turner (Procurement Manager Group Procurement – Wesfarmers) and I had a teleconference with Andrew Johnson (Assistant Secretary Maritime and Shipping Branch | Surface Transport Policy Division, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications) and the Hon Michael McCormack MP (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure,Transport and Regional Development).
Further to our formal submission addressing stevedore-imposed Infrastructure Surcharges / Terminal Access Charges, the Deputy PM gave a commitment to formalise a response to: - support our advocacy, noting the operational and cost implications for exporters and importers;
- clearly articulate that reform is a state government responsibility (negating arguments from the states pointing back to the Federal Govt to lead); and
- importantly, to provide a referral to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ensuring that stevedores involved vertical integration operations do so on a 'level playing field' with others in the supply chain and do not use Terminal Access Charges for commercial advantage / offset pricing.
We look forward to ongoing engagement with government representatives on these important matters and will continue to keep members up to date with pertinent developments. |