BRISBANE BEATS THE ODDS
IT WAS A POWERFUL statement by Scott Buchholz, the federal government’s assistant minister for road safety and freight transport, which perhaps best summed up the timely and critical importance of the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show.
After being escorted around by Todd Hacking, chief executive of the Brisbane show’s organising body, Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA), an obviously impressed Scott Buchholz issued a press release describing the 2021 show as being part of “a heavy vehicle industry renaissance, following a significant increase in freight and logistics demand during the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Adding: “Workers in the [trucking] sector are Australia’s unsung heroes and the truck show not only put on display the latest and greatest in technology, it recognised the significant contribution of the workforce.”
What’s more: “I want to thank all the freight operators, drivers, DC [distribution centre] workers, manufacturing and maintenance crews who have met the challenge of increased local demand, keeping our supermarkets stocked and our economy running.
“To the industry, and to Todd Hacking and his team, all of the sponsors and exhibitors and, of course, the visitors here over the course of the show, thank you for supporting this industry.”
Perhaps he could have also made mention of a Queensland government intent on creating the platform for the show to go on in a safe and secure environment. Then again, kudos for a Labor state government probably wasn’t front and centre in the Liberal minister’s mind.
Nonetheless, if ever there was a year for Brisbane-based truck brands in particular to revel in the excitement and potential of a loosening of the pandemic shackles, it was 2021. However, only the Penske Group’s Western Star and MAN brands, headquartered at Wacol on Brisbane’s outskirts, took the opportunity to attend. As a Penske spokesman pointed out, it’s now 40
