The Boards of NatRoad, The National Road Transport Operators Association — and the Australian Road Train Association (ARTA) have announced their in-principle agreement to amalgamate.
The two organisations made the historic agreement at the NatRoad General Meeting held on Saturday 8th August.
The amalgamation aims to create a stronger national industry voice for Australia’s heavy vehicle operators.
The Boards of both organisations recognise that the new entity will create a formidable champion for all Australian operators on the national stage.
It will provide a powerful united voice to drive the interests of the industry to the nation’s policy makers while also offering comprehensive membership services.
This announcement evolved out of a long-standing relationship of co-operation between the two grass-root membership-driven national organisations.
“In reality, this move simply formalises what has long been a natural fit between the two organisations, and removes the duplication of policy development, resource investment, and membership services,” says NatRoad President, Roger Pickering.
“NatRoad and the Australian Road Train Association have always been grass-roots driven, ‘coal face’ representative organisations, and this would be core to the new entity’s operating principles.”
ARTA President, Darby Sullivan, believes the new organisation will serve all operators.
“With NatRoad traditionally representing long distance operators, servicing the nation’s seaboards and regional areas – and the Australian Road Train Association providing a voice for Australia’s remote area operators – this proposal presents an exciting opportunity for the industry to create a truly national and united industry voice,” he says.
The proposal will go to the vote of the Australian Road Train Association membership at their Annual General Meeting in Dubbo NSW on 5th September 2008.
If approved, it will then go to the membership vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting of NatRoad.
The proposal is put to the membership of both organisations with the full support of both the NatRoad and ARTA Boards, with both Boards actively encouraging members to get behind this pivotal and positive move for the industry at large.
More information: Bernie Belacic — NatRoad: 0417 688 462 Duncan Bremner — ARTA: 0448 822 666