This report provides a detailed review of HVIA’s activities, achievements and benefits delivered to our valued members during 2025-26 financial year.
ADVOCACY
Sustainability & Government Relations
► Delivered consistent weekly Industry Fuel Security Updates to members, including direct insights from briefings with Minister Catherine King, ensuring members were informed of supply risks, policy responses and operational impacts.
► Prepared and lodged detailed submissions to the Productivity Commission inquiry and Senate Select Committee on Productivity, advocating for heavy vehicle reform to lift national supply chain efficiency. Presented evidence to Senate hearings highlighting the impact of regulatory constraints (including ROVER and access issues) on heavy vehicle productivity and industry growth.
► Developed HVIA’s 2026-27 Federal Budget Submission, including a comprehensive multi-billion-dollar reform blueprint to improve heavy vehicle productivity, safety and sustainability. Advocated for targeted government investment, including addressing financing barriers and eligibility gaps affecting industry participants.
► Maintained regular, high-level engagement with key political leaders including Transport Minister Catherine King, and senior Government and non-Government MPs and Senators.
► With the support of Green Industries South Australia, launched the Moving Forward Sustainability Guide, providing HVIA members with a practical, industry-specific resource to navigate sustainability requirements, understand evolving policy and reporting obligations, and adopt real-world strategies to reduce emissions and improve circularity across the heavy vehicle sector.
Skills, Training & Workforce Development
► Held quarterly meetings of the HVIA Learning and Development Committee, with a strong focus on workforce capability, skills shortages and future training pathways.
► Developed a Position Statement identifying the key barriers affecting workforce development in the heavy vehicle sector.
Technical & Regulatory
► Expanded HVIA’s Working Group offering to a total of 12 distinct groups, providing an unparalleled proactive voice for industry across the expansive and diverse range of HVIA members’ interests.
► Finalised powered trailer technical advocacy with the release of the Guideline for On-road Trials of Powered Trailers, opening new opportunities for members in Australia’s billion-dollar heavy trailer market.
► Formalised pathways to increase market uptake of advanced electronic braking systems and safety status lights through NHVR regulatory reforms, targeting the thousands of Performance Based Standards (PBS) vehicles added annually to the local fleet.
► Removed regulatory barriers hindering the adoption of new Euro VI truck technology, benefitting thousands of new local truck sales annually.
► Consulted with members and progressed reforms in crucial regulatory areas including braking, cyber security, Performance Based Standards (PBS), the Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) and road rules for electric trucks.
Member Forums & Member Events
► Delivered a series of regular in-person and online Member Forums across capital cities with record-breaking attendance in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, featuring new member venues in Western Australia, and impactful site tours in New South Wales
► Launched the HVIA Women’s Network – an initiative targeted at increasing the participation of females in non-traditional roles in our industry including trades, engineering and equipment operation.
Member Technical Support
► Assisted dozens of members requiring technical and regulatory information and support, leveraging HVIA’s strong network of stakeholder contacts, saving those members many hours of research and unnecessary expense.
2025 Brisbane Truck Show
► Formalised and expanded the ‘BTS Tech Tours’ to showcase innovative and new member products and services to industry customers and stakeholders.
EVENTS
HVIA National Awards
► The 2025 HVIA National Awards moved to the BCEC’s Plaza Ballroom to accommodate the record 402 guests who joined us to celebrate the industry. The industry’s night of nights also celebrated HVIA’s landmark 10th anniversary, marking a decade since its transition from a Queensland based organisation (CVIAQ) to a truly national voice.
► Making the night extra special, HVIA also recognised milestone 10, 25 and 50 year members with presentations of commemorative medallions and certificates.
► We also celebrated the heavy vehicle industry’s great achievers and achievements over the past 12 months, with awards presented to:
> Industry Leadership in Workforce Development Award (sponsored by TAFE Queensland): CMV Truck & Bus for “Growing Its Own”
> Industry Workforce Champion (sponsored by Truckline): Kate Evans from Cummins South Pacific
> Product Innovation Award (sponsored by Geotab): Airtec Corporation for the AXS SmartOBM OBM System
> Safety Innovation Award (sponsored by NHVR): Volvo Trucks Australia for Dynamic Steering
> Community Leadership Award (sponsored by Caltex): Cummins South Pacific for the Climate Action Schols Program
> Sustainability Initiative Award (sponsored by Royan’s): Charge Hub Australia for large scale zero-emission depot electrification
> Heavy Vehicle Technician Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by Wurth): Chalee Hollandrose from Cummins South Pacific
> Heavy Vehicle Manufacturing Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by Wurth): Joshua McNicol from Tefco Trailers
> Heavy Vehicle Specialist Trades Apprentice of the ear (sponsored by Wurth): Isaac Rooney from Volvo Commercial Vehicles
> HVIA Heavy Vehicle Industry Apprentice of the Year (sponsored by NTI): Chalee Hollandrose from Cummins South Pacific
> Industry Recognition Award: Paul Crawford, CMV Group
HVIA Executive Club
► The HVIA Executive Club brought industry leaders together at two events during the period: one held at ANZ Bank in Sydney in July where we heard from Medeline Dunk from ANZ; and the second at the AC Hotel in Melbourne in October where Craig Hutchison, Co-Founder and CEO of the Sports Entertainment Network (SEN), regaled attendees with all of the current sporting gossip and more.
Truck Week 26
► With more than 80 events held during the week-long festival, Truck Week 26 well and truly cemented its place in the heavy vehicle industry calendar. From charity BBQs and virtual show and shines, to industry safety forums and driver education sessions, there was something for everyone.
► Truck Week 26 finished with a bang in the Hunter Valley where, for the second show in a row, TruckShowX was a sellout. Some 463 delegates attended the conference and expo held at Rydges Resort, Hunter valley, to “share ideas, challenge assumptions, showcase innovation and, most importantly, help shape the future of freight and transport in Australia”.
► The conference featured more than 60 of the industry’s leading thinkers, operators, innovators and technical experts sharing their expertise, insights and real-world experiences over the two-day event.
► There was also an expo featuring 40+ market leaders showcasing the latest in trailer equipment, future energy, telematics, powertrain technology, vehicle charging and safety systems; and a unique drive day offering the rare opportunity to experience an on-road test of the latest low- and zero-emissions vehicles on offer in Australia.
Brisbane Truck Show
► With just under 12 months to go, planning is well and truly underway for the 2027 Brisbane Truck Show which will be held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre 20 -23 May, 2027.
► The 2027 show will mark the 60th anniversary of the event, first staged in 1968 when 21 exhibitors showcased their wares at Haulmark Trailers’ premises at Ipswich Road, Rocklea. So expect some big surprises.
MEMBER SERVICES
New Members
► HVIA welcomed dozens of new HVIA members from across Australia, taking total membership to more than 310 member organisations.
► New members included businesses from the technology and aftermarket sector and multiple new truck brands arriving to our shores.
► HVIA Membership is open to manufacturers and suppliers of heavy vehicles and their components, equipment and technology.
► Towards the back end of the year, HVIA will be announcing some exciting member-only networking events which we encourage our members and partners to attend.
HVIA Partners
► HVIA excitingly announced the continuation of our Principal Partnership with NTI until 2029 as well as the extension of our Principal Partnership with Wurth Australia for a further four years.
► Thanks to our amazing industry partners, HVIA and Brisbane Truck Show will continue to grow and service our dynamic industry.
► HVIA industry partners include Principal Partners NTI, Caltex, Wurth Australia, and Major Partners GEOTAB, Truckline and HERE Technologies.
TechAssist & EmployerAssist
► HVIA utilised its contacts with regulators to assist dozens of members requiring technical and regulatory information, saving those members unnecessary hours of research and delays.
► Its other member advisory service, EmployerAssist, assisted numerous members with workplace relations issues.
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Industry News & Information
► HVIA continued to grow reach and engagement across its member news and information services through 2025-26, with LinkedIn followers breaking through the 11,000-mark to now top 11,241.
► Our weekly electronic newsletter, Talk the Torque, continued to set the industry benchmark for high-quality industry news and information, reaching 4,500+ industry decision makers and achieving industry-high open rates of 40+ per cent.
ROADBOSS
► HVIA’s ROADBOSS Magazine continued to garner positive feedback from both readers and corporate partners alike through 2025-26.
► Testament to the uniqueness of ROADBOSS is the loads of incredibly positive feedback we receive as each issue hits readers’ desks – from emails to phone calls and, occasionally, long-form written letters from old-school truckies.
► Typical of the response is this one received from the owner of a mid-sized trucking company who happened to pick up a copy of our Spring Issue while visiting the PACCAR Australia factory in Bayswater: “What an exceptional magazine you produce; the stories and photography are simply the best, and your team should be proud!”
► Now in its third year of publication, the coffee-table style magazine has built on its initial 10 foundation partners (NTI, PACCAR Australia, Caltex, Daimler Truck, Volvo Group Australia, CMV Truck & Bus, Penske Australia, Geotab, Smedley’s Engineers and Tiger Spider) to now boast the support of an amazing 18 partners, including Truckline, Freighter Group, The Drake Group, Hino Australia, Brigade Electronics, HERE Technologies, Scania Australia, Wurth and, most recently, Cummins and Viva Energy.
► Complementing the success of the print magazine, ROADBOSS has also experienced exponential growth in its social media audience over the past financial year, with Facebook followers up almost 900 per cent to more than 15,500 and views reaching almost 4.5 million in May alone.
Events
► The Marketing & Communications team supported key events – including the HVIA National Awards, Truck Week 26 and TruckShowX 2026 – with cost-effective promotional campaigns that were successful in driving awareness and engagement with our target audiences and contributing to sold-out attendances at our two ticketed events.
► In particular, Truck Week 26 and TruckShowX 2026 were supported by a combination of extensive editorial content and display advertising published across HVIA’s print, web, social and email channels as well as third-party platforms including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
► Implementation of the marketing and communications strategy for the 2027 Brisbane Truck Show is well under way, with a new 60th anniversary themed logo already unveiled 12 months out from the event and work under way on the first of two promotional magazines planned to support the show, namely the Special Preview Magazine scheduled for distribution in December 2026.