Livestock and rural transporters took a two-day pit stop at Busselton over last weekend.
A fleet of more than 160 people attended the combined national and WA livestock and rural transporters association annual conference at Abbey Beach Resort.
There were representatives from every State in Australia, but no Northern Territory representatives - as it does not have a rural transport association.
"The enthusiasm of people in the room for rural transport and rural life was certainly on show, as was their generosity towards others in the community,'' said Livestock and Rural Transport Association WA (LRTAWA) executive officer Jan Cooper.
"There is a lot of innovation going on in the industry and we wanted to showcase that, as well as the policies and regulations needed, so we can get the benefits of those innovations."
Day one of the event included WA and national annual general meetings, presentation of national partner certificates, the rural transport rising star award and a Royal Flying Doctor Service auction.
Keynote speakers headlined the second day, which was opened by Lake Grace transporter and outgoing LRTAWA president David Fyfe, of Fyfe Transport.
The conference kicked off with a focus on "fuelling the transport industry of the future" and featured presentations by Cummins on-highway business manager Andrew Booth, PACCAR director of product planning Ross Cureton, BP Australia hydrogen business development manager Alex Davis and Volvo Group Australia direct product and performance Shayne Commons.
The speakers discussed how heavy road transport could be decarbonised to pave the way for a greener, net-zero future.
They also spoke about the challenges which industry could face and how WA could present the best early opportunities for hydrogen and renewable energy.
Wondinong station pastoralist Lara Jensen shared her story and advocacy work in the Improve Train Lighting and Level Crossing Safety Campaign.
Ms Jensen, with others, has fought for decades to see adequate safety lighting at passive rail crossings.
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) chief executive officer Sal Petroccitto spoke about compliance and safety on roads and how the NHVR is adopting a risk-based approach, adopting and utilising surveillance in real-time and other data technologies and fostering transparency to capture information.
Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) president Scott McDonald shone a light on the challenges and triumphs the industry has faced during the past 12 months.
"The Federal government is progressing a broad reform agenda, including same job, same pay employee-like arrangements and specific reforms for the road and transport sector," Mr McDonald said.
"In response, ALRTA has lodged a submission to the government that includes 29 recommendations designed to ensure that never happens again.
"We are seeking exemption for rural carriers and all general carriers, who must continue to operate freely as independent contractors.
"While no decision has been made, we do expect some form of new regulation to be introduced this year."
In a similar vein, the LRTAWA is concerned about the practical application of the amendments to the Owner-Drivers (Contracts and Disputes) Act, which were debated in parliament last October.
Mr McDonald said ALTRA was also actively working to influence heavy vehicle national law reforms, biosecurity response plans, performance based standards and national vendor declarations, telematic conditions, road construction and truck wash standards, low density rules and heavy vehicle charging.
Most recently, he said the association had secured an exemption for new financial laws, which would have prevented drivers from obtaining necessary insurance before journeys, improved the livestock standstill rules that would apply in the event of a foot and mouth disease outbreak, established a national standard for loading ramps, built several free effluent disposal facilities near South Australia and Victoria, and registered the effluent code for managing livestock and effluent in transit.
"It is a big agenda, but that's what we are here for," Mr McDonald said.
"Without our associations working together, this would not happen."
WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis discussed biosecurity, the roll-out of electronic identification tags and phase-out of live sheep exports.
Main Roads WA chief operation officer Des Snook, heavy vehicle services director Michael Buba and materials engineering manager Les Merchant provided updates including those of the new Fitzroy River bridge, compliance and non-compliance rates for livestock transporters.
CBH chief operating officer Mick Daw shared the challenges and successes faced by WA graingrowers, and revised LivestockASSIST Launch national development manager Bert Webster spoke about the 24-hour national hotline dedicated to co-ordinating emergency response incidents involving heavy vehicles carrying livestock.
NTI WA manager Ross Lambrick talked through the effluent code developed by the NHVR in partnership with ALRTA and how customer expectations could likely change over the coming years, as regulators sharpened their focus.
NTI national accident report transport and logistics risk engineer Adam Gibson then highlighted statistics on heavy vehicle involved road deaths and issues surrounding WA's nationally collated road death data.
To close the event, former Australian cricketer, fast bowler and special guest Mitchell Johnson spoke about his career and working under pressure, before a dinner and the annual auction.
Massive fundraising efforts over the weekend raised $32,000 for the Perth Children's Hospital, $11,860 for Ms Jensen's campaign and $16,390 for the Royal Flying Doctors Service.
