By Ben Maguire
Over the past four days I’ve had the privilege of being on the road with “Kenny” as part of Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds activations during Truck Week 2026.
The trip has taken me from Yass to Newcastle, The Hunter Valley to Anglesea in Vic…..to Parliament House and across multiple industry engagements.
Sharing the road with my mate Steve, our CEO Naomi Frauenfelder, Senator Glenn Sterle, the Speaker of the House, Minister Catherine King, sponsors, operators, drivers and industry leaders committed to the future of Australia’s transport sector.
We spent time with teams at Ampol Newcastle, met with supporters and stakeholders, and had the honour of showcasing the work of Healthy Heads alongside Her Excellency the Governor-General.
One of the strongest reflections from this week has been the importance of collaboration and leadership across industry, government and community.
From Her Excellency the Governor-General, Minister Catherine King and other Members of Parliament, through to leaders such as Mel Weller and our own CEO Naomi Frauenfelder, I was reminded that strong leadership is grounded in authenticity, connection, professionalism and care for people.
The transport industry continues to benefit enormously from the contribution of women who are helping shape safer, healthier and more sustainable workplaces across Australia.
Australia’s road transport industry contributes more than $40 billion to national GDP and underpins almost every aspect of our economy and daily lives.
Every supermarket shelf, hospital delivery, regional business and major infrastructure project depends on the movement of freight.
Yet behind every freight movement is a human being navigating long hours, operational pressure, fatigue and significant responsibility.
That is why the work of Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds matters.
I was particularly proud to see the level of collaboration across industry, government and corporate partners throughout the week.
Mental health and wellbeing are no longer peripheral conversations; they are critical to workforce sustainability, safety, retention and long-term industry performance.
Truck Week provides an important opportunity to celebrate an industry that often works quietly behind the scenes while keeping Australia moving.
Thank you to everyone who welcomed us, partnered with us and shared the journey. The experience has left me with an even greater respect for the people who power Australia’s transport, warehousing and logistics sectors every day.
Proud to support this work and proud to stand beside an industry that continues to lead with resilience, practicality and care for its people.
