Federal Member for the Seat of Riverina Michael McCormack attended the Hilltops Truck Forum at the Harden Country Club on Friday.
The Burley Griffin Way has a lot of trucks making use of it. Statistics recorded over a 51 day period between November 25 and January 2016 stated that on average 855 trucks were travelling in both directions each day. When those figures are averaged out it is easy to see that Harden should be a focus point for assisting the industry.
The yearly figure is over 312,00 truck movements. The local trucking industry came out in force last Friday when up to 40 drivers, owners and operators converged on the Harden Country Club. The group represented 25 operators with a combined workforce of 677. Unfortunately Baiada Chickens could not attend on the day, however, they represent another 700 employees. The group discussed a myriad of issues surrounding the industry with focus put on local areas aswell as trucking routes used regionally by operators.
Organisers Tony Madden and Di Peisley provided a platform with the meeting well recieved by those who attended. Locals who attended included the Sargent family, Prossers, Browns, Maddens, Peisleys, Beveridges and Hilltops advisory committee members including John Horton and Chris Manchester. McCormack mentioned he was more comfortable talking to truck drivers and diesel mechanics than he was talking to politicians in Canberra and spoke about his time growing up in the country around farms and trucks.
The Federal member went on to state he would be happy to attend future meetings and would work with the members of the trucking group to address their issues. Tony Madden highlighted the need to upgrade 2 nearby bridges including the bridge at Demondrille and Binalong. He went on to detail the proposed ‘Road Tax’ where he said “ If the Government want more tax they should hit us at the bowser not with another separate tax.” For more information contact Madden’s Transport between 9am and 5pm on 6386 2708 or call Tony on 0428 650 987 or Dianne on 0429 862 844.
