1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: Joining us on the line right now is Louise Belato 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: from the Northern Territory Road Transport Association. Good morning to you, Louise. 3 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 2: Hello Katie. 4 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:12,399 Speaker 1: How are you. I'm very well. Sorry we're running a 5 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: little bit late this morning. We were just catching up 6 00:00:14,520 --> 00:00:17,760 Speaker 1: with Tony Fuller from Bushfires into to get a bit 7 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:23,080 Speaker 1: of an update on that fire situation in the Berkley region. Louise, 8 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: what kind of impact is it having right now on 9 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:26,400 Speaker 1: our roads? 10 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:31,319 Speaker 2: Well, it was having a significant impact on Friday and 11 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 2: over the weekend with trucks having to divert down the 12 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 2: Barkley Stock Route and then Table and Highway. But we 13 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: were extremely grateful for the work that Emergency Services and 14 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:48,199 Speaker 2: Bushfires in TA we're doing to communicate with the transport 15 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,200 Speaker 2: industry and also to open the road at nighttime to 16 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:55,280 Speaker 2: try and clear the backlog of trucks that we're waiting 17 00:00:55,320 --> 00:00:55,880 Speaker 2: to get through. 18 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: Louise. How many trucks were waiting to get. 19 00:00:58,800 --> 00:01:05,039 Speaker 2: Through It varied at different times, so certainly Friday night 20 00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:09,039 Speaker 2: there was quite a number. I think there was about 21 00:01:09,040 --> 00:01:12,920 Speaker 2: twenty trucks that were needing to that weren't going the 22 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 2: long way around that decided to wait so we often 23 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 2: have a very significant number of trucks heading back to 24 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,039 Speaker 2: the East Coast on Fridays after they've come up and 25 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: done deliveries of freight, and then the same coming through 26 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 2: on Sundays into Darwin. So they've got a very good routine. 27 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,560 Speaker 2: And you know we've seen that previously with the floods 28 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 2: where freight comes from at different times of the week. 29 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 2: But cattle trucks and those that needed to move did 30 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:48,080 Speaker 2: take the long detour through the Barkby Stock route. Riches 31 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 2: unsealed obviously, but it had been graded. 32 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: Now tell me are we expecting I mean we literally 33 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:57,760 Speaker 1: just spoke to Tiny and he'd said that you know, 34 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 1: if you are planning on traveling through the center, that 35 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: you do need to be aware of potential road closures. 36 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: How tough is it at this point in time when 37 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: it does come to transporting freight, Well. 38 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: No, very much. And I mean bushfires are very volatile, 39 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 2: and we know that the wind conditions means that they 40 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 2: can that the road closures can happen at any time. 41 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 2: We've been trying to keep the industry abreast of that 42 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 2: and the secure and Tea bushfires notices are very good 43 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 2: as well. But definitely. You know, if they're going to 44 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 2: have delays, it might happen anywhere. And we've seen the 45 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 2: Stewart Highway impacted as well. The firefront is massive and 46 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:47,640 Speaker 2: I mean it's been jumping the highway, so you know, 47 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 2: fire breaks are only so big, and it's been it's 48 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 2: been huge. But I think most of our road transport 49 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:03,079 Speaker 2: industry is very resilient and very conscious of their loads. 50 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 2: And I was obviously not wanting to have any risk 51 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 2: or damage to freight, and you know, so anything that's flammable, 52 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: obviously they'd be taking extra precautions with. 53 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:19,079 Speaker 1: Yeah, and unbelievably resilient, Louise. You know when I think 54 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,119 Speaker 1: about the discussions that you and I have had over 55 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: this year, you know you talked about the flooding before 56 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,880 Speaker 1: and now you know bushfires. You've got to be so 57 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,240 Speaker 1: resilient really to work in the territory. 58 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:33,919 Speaker 2: Yes, well, we were just talking this morning also about 59 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:39,440 Speaker 2: the Fitzroy crossing again that's been hugely impactful for the 60 00:03:39,440 --> 00:03:43,080 Speaker 2: industry for freight coming north and they've just closed the 61 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: two lane crossing over there, so everyone's now doing the 62 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 2: single lane crossing again. The good thing there has been 63 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 2: that they've made it road train accessible, so trucks on 64 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,560 Speaker 2: the single lane crossing at the moment don't have to 65 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: break up, but they won't let road trains through at 66 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 2: night time, so there's a curfew between five thirty pm 67 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 2: and six thirty am, and that starts tomorrow morning. So 68 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:16,719 Speaker 2: anything coming to the territory or back into wa from 69 00:04:17,120 --> 00:04:20,320 Speaker 2: on the Great Northern Highway will have to work around 70 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,679 Speaker 2: that restriction at the Fitzroy crossing. 71 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,920 Speaker 1: And excuse my ignorance, but what's caused that restriction at 72 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:28,560 Speaker 1: this point. 73 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 2: Well, obviously the bridge construction. After the Fitzroy Crossing bridge 74 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 2: was devastated or wiped out, they have had the two 75 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:46,600 Speaker 2: lane bridge right beside the big bridge construction. But now 76 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: they're at a stage where the construction needs to have 77 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 2: the two lane crossing closed and they're going to be 78 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 2: upgrading that. The good thing is that they're built that 79 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 2: better and the bridge is being targeted for reopening in 80 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 2: the middle of next year, which is brilliant. Yeah, that's 81 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:12,880 Speaker 2: certainly sooner than the industry was anticipating. But as soon 82 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: as there's rain, the crossing will close and trucks will 83 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 2: have to go the long way around again, which as 84 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 2: we've said previously, the six thousand community tour. So you've 85 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,039 Speaker 2: got fires on one hand, and then we've got the 86 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 2: restrictions with the crossing on the Great Northern Highway Louise. 87 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,000 Speaker 1: When you take both of those factors into account, are 88 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,919 Speaker 1: we anticipating that there's you know that there's going to 89 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 1: be delays to freight over the coming days or weeks 90 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,279 Speaker 1: into the territory and out of the territory. 91 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 2: Well, with the fires, I think it is a bit unpredictable. 92 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,599 Speaker 2: If the road was closed more than the twelve hours 93 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: that it was, you know, Friday, Saturday, Sunday on the Barkley, 94 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 2: we would have seen some impact. But the retailers, the 95 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: big supermarkets are very on the ball when it comes 96 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,720 Speaker 2: to what's where so they can get equipment. I mean, 97 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: they can get food stuff out of other distribution centers 98 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 2: very quickly and if they needed to. But right now, 99 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:20,719 Speaker 2: the fact that they've been opening the roads at nighttime 100 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 2: because the weather conditions and the wind dies down has 101 00:06:24,200 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 2: been very, very helpful. So the impost is mostly on 102 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:31,799 Speaker 2: the road transport industry and the truck is having to 103 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 2: manage their fatigue risk and manage what they're doing with 104 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:38,040 Speaker 2: their loads. 105 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,160 Speaker 1: Jeez, it's you know, it is always a juggle. Like 106 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: I said, you've got to be tough to work in 107 00:06:42,760 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory, there is no doubt about that. But 108 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:47,599 Speaker 1: you know what you guys have sort of dealt with 109 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 1: throughout this year and I guess you know, we know 110 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 1: that this is the kind of stuff that we deal 111 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:54,800 Speaker 1: with in Australia, but it can be really tough. 112 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 2: Going good time, and I think we've probably underestimated the 113 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:02,840 Speaker 2: impact of fires in the territory. But because we had 114 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 2: such good rains, there is you know, that fuel load everywhere, 115 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 2: including on all the arterial roads as well. So this 116 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 2: what we're seeing on the Barclay may not be the 117 00:07:13,560 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 2: only issue that we face with bush fires, you know 118 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 2: as we go into the summer months central Australia. So 119 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 2: we do need to be very cautious. Katie, I just 120 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 2: do want to say thanks so to the emergency services 121 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:35,440 Speaker 2: Bushfires have been exceptionally good with their communications with industry 122 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 2: and trying really hard to not disrupt things and recognize 123 00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: what needs to happen. We had livestock trucks over the 124 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:49,480 Speaker 2: weekend that needed to you know, offload cattle and spell 125 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 2: them because they you know, they're essentially out of ours 126 00:07:53,320 --> 00:08:00,000 Speaker 2: for animal welfare requirements. And yeah, the the emergency services 127 00:08:00,120 --> 00:08:03,520 Speaker 2: guys were really really good with their communications, so we're 128 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 2: very grateful for that, and that relationship is so important 129 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 2: and communication is key. 130 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: And it just goes to show you as well. You know, 131 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:14,960 Speaker 1: like here in the Northern Territory, when we do go 132 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: through a tough time, everybody does pull together and really 133 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: tries to make sure that they're looking out for each other, 134 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: which I think is incredible to say, Yeah. 135 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:28,360 Speaker 2: And respectfully and as have we just request that people 136 00:08:28,400 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 2: are patient and heed all the warnings and that they 137 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 2: don't put more pressure on the truckies but very lasting. 138 00:08:36,520 --> 00:08:40,120 Speaker 2: If I could, yeah, sure, please ask caravaners to be 139 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:45,400 Speaker 2: also respectful of the road transport guys on the roads 140 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:49,520 Speaker 2: because we've I've had more complaints from truckies this year 141 00:08:49,920 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 2: about caravaners pulling out in front of them and really 142 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:59,880 Speaker 2: causing some very significant near misses and a lot of 143 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 2: hire coming off the road trains than I've ever ever experienced. 144 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 2: And I'm not sure what the well that they might 145 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,800 Speaker 2: just be a little bit indifferent or just not paying attention. 146 00:09:13,320 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 2: But if they can see a truck in the distance, 147 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 2: they should not be pulling out to think that they 148 00:09:17,920 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 2: can get in front of that truck because trucks will 149 00:09:20,520 --> 00:09:23,440 Speaker 2: come up upon them very quickly and they're slow to 150 00:09:23,480 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 2: get moving. And it's been extremely concerning that lack of 151 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 2: respect for the truckies. 152 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 1: On the road. Well, the last thing any of us 153 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 1: want is for there to be a crash, you know, 154 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:39,320 Speaker 1: involving a truck and a caravan. That is the last 155 00:09:39,360 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: thing that anybody wants. So please do make sure that 156 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:44,800 Speaker 1: you take care out there and be respectful of one another. 157 00:09:46,120 --> 00:09:49,120 Speaker 1: Thanks Katie Louise, always good to speak with you. Thank 158 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 1: you so much for your time this morning. 159 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:53,280 Speaker 2: Thanks very much, thank you.