The Australian Trucking Association today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Melham will be leaving the ATA on 14 October to take up a new role in another leading industry association.

ATA Chair, Noelene Watson, thanked Mr Melham for his five years of service to the Australian trucking industry.

During his tenure with the ATA, Mr Melham made significant gains in a number of areas including:

• Reconnecting the Tasmanian Transport Association with the ATA, which secured a truly national voice for the Australian trucking industry with membership from every jurisdiction.
• Achieving reductions in heavy vehicle fuel taxes with the Australian government freezing the fuel tax paid by trucking operators in the 2015 budget and reducing it in the 2016 budget.
• Leading the national campaign to defeat the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal and in so doing, secured the livelihoods of numerous small trucking businesses. This included a highly successful truck convoy to Parliament House in Canberra, led by the ATA Safety Truck.
• Securing the agreement of transport ministers to simplify and extend the scope of chain of responsibility laws, which are now before Parliament.

The ATA has commenced a search for a suitable replacement and thanks Chris for his contribution to the ATA and the trucking industry. 

Media contact:                      Donna Jeremiah/Anne Nguyen                     02 6253 6900