During Truck Week 2026 the Australian Government confirmed a landmark investment in frontline mental health support for Australia’s transport, warehousing and logistics workforce.
The announcement was made outside Parliament House in Canberra by Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, Catherine King, during a Truck Week activation hosted by Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds and attended by industry representatives gathered around the Healthy Heads activation vehicle, “Kenny”.
The Federal Budget investment will help dramatically expand mental health and well-being support across the sector, with a strong focus on practical, on-the-ground engagement reaching workers where they are – in depots, workplaces, truck stops and regional communities.
“This investment will help expand practical, on-the-ground mental health support, ensuring workers across metropolitan, regional and remote Australia can access the resources they need,” King says.
For Truck Week organisers and participants, the timing and location of the announcement carried particular significance. Truck Week has consistently highlighted that the industry’s greatest asset is its people – those working behind the wheel, in workshops, warehouses, depots and offices right across the country.
Healthy Heads Chair Paul Graham describes the funding as a major turning point for a workforce that has too often been overlooked.
“This is a sector of more than 745,000 Australians that has ranked last for workplace mental health for years. This investment acknowledges that reality and does something about it,” he says.
Related Story: A week On The Road With Healthy Heads And Truck Week
The funding package will support two major national initiatives:
> A major expansion of the Healthy Heads Road Show, growing from around 40 events annually to more than 100 events each year, reaching over 10,000 workers nationally; and
> A dedicated research project focused on suicide prevention among Australian truck drivers and the development of evidence-based prevention strategies.
Importantly, the Australian Government investment has been matched through a co-investment commitment from the Goodman Foundation, creating a combined $5 million national initiative to strengthen frontline support and suicide prevention efforts across the sector.
The announcement also reinforced one of the key themes emerging throughout Truck Week 2026 – that supporting the wellbeing of the people who keep Australia moving requires genuine collaboration between industry, government and the wider community.
Truck Week has already seen hundreds of local activities, conversations and initiatives focused not just on recognising the industry, but on creating healthier, safer and more connected workplaces.
Last week’s announcement at Parliament House demonstrated that those conversations are now being matched with tangible national investment and long-term commitment.
As Truck Week continues across Australia, the message remains clear: this week is not just about trucks – it is about the people who keep Australia moving.
Image caption: Minister Catherine King flanked by Naomi Frauenfelder (Healthy Heads), Senator Glenn Sterle, Special Envoy Men’s Health Dan Repacholi and Ben Maguire (Healthy Heads)
Discover more from Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.