Industry lobby group, the Livestock, Bulk and Rural Carriers Association (LBRCA) has revealed it has met with the ACCC in a bid to to ensure rural carriers and regional transport operators have a stronger voice in discussions on fuel prices, supply and competition.
The president of the Association, Wade Lewis said the meeting provided an opportunity to share the firsthand experiences and concerns of livestock, bulk and rural carriers across Australia.
“We welcome the opportunity to provide the ACCC with real world examples of what is happening in the market for trucking businesses, including concerns about diesel pricing, fuel availability, competition and the commercial pressures facing regional transport operators,” Lewis said.
Lewis said the engagement reflected the Association’s commitment to listening to members and ensuring their interests were represented.
“Our members are the backbone of Australia’s regional economy and agricultural supply chains,” he said.
“The meeting highlighted the importance of explaining how freight contracts work, how fuel supply arrangements operate between transport companies and fuel providers, the way goods move through regional supply chains, and the commercial sensitivities operators must manage every day.”
“When our members raise concerns, our responsibility is to listen, understand the issues and make sure their voices are heard by the people who can make a difference,” Lewis said.
The importance of that engagement is underscored by the ACCC’s latest weekly fuel price monitoring report, which recorded average retail diesel prices of $2.84 per litre across more than 190 monitored regional locations on the 14th October.
The report also acknowledges that regional fuel prices can be influenced by local supply stability, shortages, competition, demand and distance.
The LBRCA’s general manager of policy Scott O’Connell said the Association’s engagement with the ACCC was about connecting the experiences of operators on the ground with the agencies responsible for monitoring Australia’s fuel markets.
“Whether it’s the cost and availability of diesel, limited competition in regional areas or the challenges of running a transport business, these issues have real consequences for our members,”O’Connell said.
“Our advocacy is helping to build a better picture of the realities facing rural carriers and to ensure their experiences inform the broader conversation.”
“The ACCC has the market data, but our members can explain what those figures mean in practice, and importantly, what might not be apparent from the numbers alone,” he added.
The Association said it would continue working with members to identify emerging issues, gather practical examples and ensure rural carriers across Australia had a strong voice in discussions affecting their livelihoods.
Lewis said that from securing reliable fuel supplies to managing volatile costs and keeping essential freight moving across rural Australia, the Association remained focused on achieving better outcomes for members.
“We will keep listening to members and taking those experiences and pressures directly to regulators and decision makers.”
“Our members need to know that when they raise a concern, someone is listening and prepared to act. and that’s what LBRCA is here to do, and that’s exactly what we will continue doing,” he said.
The LBRCA said that membership of the Association provides access to fuel discounts of up to 10.5 cents per litre to help operators manage costs. Visit the LBRCA website for more information and to access fuel calculators.
