MORE THAN 150 ports and freight stakeholders, companies, regional and rural councils, advocacy groups and the public have provided feedback for the update to the Victorian Freight Plan, which is due to be completed next year.

Minister for Ports and Freight Melissa Horne said participants had put forward more than 200 ideas for consideration to turbocharge the state’s $36 billion freight sector, secure and decarbonise supply chains, ensure Victoria remains the freight and logistics capital of Australia.

Key themes included maximising the capacity of existing freight networks, creating certainty for industry to transition to low-carbon freight operations and to manage the impacts of freight movements on communities. 

“There was broad support to maintain and grow Victoria’s freight advantage through continued investment in our rail freight and intermodal network, road and bridge infrastructure and to protect land for future freight needs,” the government said. 

Assisting industry to source appropriately skilled workers to meet the needs of the growing freight task and ensure the safe, efficient movement of goods remains a priority for government.

The updated plan will include a set of key performance indicators to measure progress towards the priority areas identified through consultation before it is presented to government in 2025. 

Since the Victorian Freight Plan was launched in 2018, the sector has been impacted by the pandemic, global conflicts and disruptions, which have put the importance of securing supply chains firmly in the spotlight.

“Despite these challenges, the government’s more than $360 million investment in rail freight maintenance since 2020 has given industry the confidence to put more of their goods on trains – helping to take trucks off our roads.

“Victoria’s gross product is predicted to increase by $30 billion over the next two to three decades which will double freight volumes and supercharge job creation in our supply chains and across all sectors of our economy.  

“The freight and logistics industry is a major economic enabler, especially for our agricultural sector, employing more than 260,000 Victorians who produce and deliver the goods at home and abroad. 

“Victoria is home to the busiest port in the nation, handling more than a third of the country’s container trade and contributing $6 billion to the state’s economy,” Ms Horne said.

“From our primary producers through to our stevedores, our freight and logistics workforce helps keep our economy moving and we are working with industry to ensure Victoria remains the freight capital of Australia.

“We thank everyone, in particular the Industry Stakeholder Reference Group, for their contribution to this vital conversation about maintaining and growing Victoria’s freight advantage.”

More information available here.