ALC sets six supply chain priorities for Victorian election

THE AUSTRALIAN Logistics Council (ALC) is asking every party contesting the Victorian election to commit to six practical priorities that would strengthen the state's supply chains and make better use of the infrastructure already in place.

Victoria's freight task is expected to increase during the next 25 years, from around 440 million tonnes in 2020-21 to 908 million tonnes by 2050-51.

The ALC is asking parties to commit to:

• A Road Sustainability Fund for planned maintenance, safety and upgrades on freight-critical roads, bridges and first and last-mile links, aligned with the Victorian Freight Plan 2025-30.
• A staged and costed plan to increase freight rail use, improve reliability and keep new volumes on rail.
• Fixing road and freight rail connections to ports, terminals and major logistics and industrial precincts.
• Planning rules that protect freight access, industrial land, freight corridors and established 24/7 operations, together with the reinstatement of a strong, independent Infrastructure Victoria.
• Investment in charging infrastructure for electric heavy freight vehicles, renewable diesel and other lower-carbon fuels that can work at commercial scale without compromising reliability.
• A four-year Supply Chain Workforce Plan, developed with industry, unions, TAFEs, universities and training providers, with practical entry, training and licensing pathways.

ALC chief executive and managing director Hermione Parsons said Victoria did not need a long list of election projects.

"The state already has substantial road, rail, port and terminal assets. The immediate job is to fix the gaps and make the system work better. These are the networks that keep food, medicine and other essential goods reaching homes and businesses," Dr Parsons said.

"Road maintenance cannot be a cycle of pothole announcements. We need planned, preventative maintenance on the routes and bridges the freight task depends on. Freight rail also needs a practical plan that deals with access costs, terminal connections, reliability and gauge constraints, and builds volumes that stay on rail."

Dr Parsons said more housing and efficient freight access were not mutually exclusive.

“New communities still need deliveries, while established industrial areas need room to operate. Victoria also needs independent long-term advice. Infrastructure Victoria should be reinstated and strengthened where needed, not replaced by short-term political decisions,” he said.

"Different freight tasks need different energy solutions, but the transition cannot come at the expense of reliability. None of it works without people. Victoria also needs a workforce plan linking schools, TAFEs, universities and employers, with practical training and licensing pathways and reporting on completion and retention."

The six priorities are said to build on the Victorian Freight Plan 2025-30. ALC is asking all parties to set out their positions before polling day and will track commitments throughout the campaign.