NEW Australian Logistics Council chief executive Kirk Coningham says the recent floods in Townsville and North Queensland brought out the best in the freight community.
As was widely reported, parts of Townsville were flooded by an overflowing Ross River and other nearby streams.
In a notice to ALC members, Mr Coningham said there could not have been “a more powerful demonstration of this industry’s centrality to the day-to-day existences of all Australians than this industry’s response in the face of the floods”.
“In an inspiring display of community mindedness, ALC member companies including Linfox, Toll, Woolworths and Coles went to exceptional lengths to have essential items delivered to communities whose regular freight deliveries were cut off by the flood waters,” Mr Coningham said.
“This included working with our armed forces and police to have groceries and other essential items delivered to flood-affected areas via an RAAF C17 aircraft, making use of barges to transport freight to areas where roads were cut-off, and delivering other critical items via heavy vehicles accompanied by special police escort.”
Mr Coningham said there were no complaints, nor was there quibbling about who would pay the bills.
“People in this industry saw communities in need – and they responded professionally and efficiently,” he said.
“It was an inspiring example of the ethos and the can-do attitude that motivates those who work in this industry every day.”
Mr Coningham said he wanted to see a positive and collaborative approach from freight logistics professionals matched by governments and the wider community in their attitude towards the industry.
