The Queensland Government is putting its weight behind 2021 Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week and the events under its umbrella, all taking place in Brisbane in May.
The initiative is facilitated by industry body Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA), owners and organisers of the Brisbane Truck Show, and now the accompanying South Bank Truck Festival.
HVIA chief executive Todd Hacking says the Queensland Government’s support enabled the expansion of the iconic industry event into South Bank Parklands and across the city.
“We are extremely grateful to the Queensland Government and the City of Brisbane for coming on board to enable this initiative to come to life.
“They recognise that the Brisbane Truck Show is a vital Queensland business, tourism and cultural asset, recognised internationally amongst the world’s leading industry business events.
“This is such an important occasion for our industry to get together. The business that is done at the show is incredibly important but this year, more than ever, it is an important reunion.
“It is a reward for the incredible job that has been done keeping Australia moving over the last eighteen months through drought, bushfires and the pandemic,” Hacking says.
Tourism minister Stirling Hinchliffe welcomes the return of Queensland’s big wheels to Brisbane.
“Whenever big rigs and heavy machinery are on show in one location, they draw a crowd,” Hinchliffe says.
“Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week brings together an industry that’s vitally important to all Queenslanders, whether its delivering food to supermarket distribution centres or building the infrastructure our growing State needs.
“The 2019 Brisbane Truck Festival brought almost 40,000 visitors to the capital and contributed more than $21 million to our overnight visitor economy.
“In its new format, Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week is expected to provide a significant boost for the local economy.
“The Queensland Government is investing in business events to help kick start the conference industry, which has been hit hard by the global COVID pandemic.
“This is great opportunity to attract interstate business visitors to Brisbane and support local jobs in the tourism, conference and logistics industries,” Hinchliffe says.
Transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey says the Government’s support reflected all Queenslanders’ gratitude for the efforts of freight operators, businesses and industry, in keeping the economy moving.
“The heavy vehicle industry’s role in that effort, working with our government to establish dedicated freight lanes at border controls, was critical and helped ensure our state is today the place to be,” Bailey says.
“Our collective efforts mean the Palaszczuk Government can now focus on the state’s economic recovery plan and keep construction powering on to create jobs.”
Bailey says the volume of freight in Queensland is anticipated to grow more than 20% over the next decade.
“That is why we are delivering our fifth record roads and transport program: a $26.9 billion pipeline of work over the next four years to support freight efficiency and safety.
“While supporting greater productivity for our heavy vehicle industry, it will also spark 23,600 jobs at a time we need them most.
“We look forward to continuing to work closely with heavy vehicle industry to support its growth in Queensland and beyond, and to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.
“I would like to welcome you all to this year’s Brisbane Truck Show – an event we’ve been able to host because of your efforts to manage the COVID-19 pandemic – and congratulate the organisers for bringing together this industry despite the challenges of the pandemic.”
The 2021 Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week activations include:
- Future Fuels and Sustainability Hub at the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show;
- An expanded Technology and Innovation Centre
- The South Bank Truck Festival
- A truck and trailer display along Little Stanley Street and Stanley Street Plaza;
- The National Apprentice Challenge, staged live at the South Bank Piazza
- Jobs Hub and innovation masterclass series
- Laservision water projection spectacular at Streets Beach
- A family friendly Rainforest Play Zone
- TruckFest Outdoor Cinema plus other live free entertainment
- Civil Construction Field Days heavy equipment and machinery show
Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week is underpinned by a set of themes that exhibitors chose to represent the values of the heavy vehicle industry: safety, innovation, sustainability, knowledge, careers and community.
“Those themes really do a great job of capturing our capability and our aspirations in just a few keywords,” Hacking says.
“The truck and trailer displays, along with all the other entertainment and events throughout South Bank, the Brisbane CBD, and other venues across Brisbane, shine a light on our industry in a way that has never been possible before.
“The opportunity to showcase our industry in this spectacular location provides the perfect opportunity to share our story with the community in a tangible and lasting way,” he says.
Beyond the walls of the BCEC, the Jobs Hub and the HVIA National Apprentice Challenge, will showcase career opportunities to the broader community with free entry at the South Bank Piazza amphitheatre.
Hacking says the heavy vehicle industry offers diverse and rewarding career paths.
“With hundreds of jobs available directly from Jobs Hub exhibitors, this will open doors to young people just entering the workforce and others considering something new,” he says.
“The Australian community has really come to appreciate how important our industry is to Australia’s resilience, and there has never been a better time to get on board.”
Hacking says the week is about expressing pride in the heavy vehicle industry while starting a conversation with the broader community about its innovation, local manufacturing and sustainability; about road safety, skills development, education and careers.
“We’re having conversations around workplace safety, health and wellbeing and importantly, our connection with the community that we both serve and belong to,” he says.
“We encourage every participant to fully embrace the opportunities that the Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week offers and to be a part of sharing our great story.”
