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From Max’s Desk
JUNE 30TH THIS YEAR CLOSED OFF A VERY CHALLENGING PERIOD IN OUR HISTORY.
AS THE SAYING GOES, “WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER”.
July 1 ushered in a new period and thankfully
there are signs that not only the economy
but the company is returning to normal, even
though there is still a long way to go. I would
personally like to take this opportunity to
thank everyone who helped in one way or
another to get us through this testing period.
Volumes are on the increase again and as
such providing plenty of challenges for us
operationally.
How we tackle this of course is nothing new.
It basically comes back to us all achieving
traction in the Twenty10 strategy being
championed by senior management. At the
beginning of the financial crisis we elected
to keep our business improvement teams
in full battle mode whilst at the same time
increasing our investment in our sale’s team
and this I am sure has been the right way
to go. The challenge now is to achieve a
satisfactory yield from the work we do. We all
have a part to play in achieving this.
We should never forget that our biggest
single asset is our customer. New and old
clients alike are the lifeblood of the business
and I believe that we are in a position over
the next twelve months to really consolidate
our position as the leader in the Less Than
Full Load (LTL) sector of our industry. We have
the systems, we have the terminals, we have
the people and we have a solid client base.
Let us make sure that we keep that base
intact and add many happy newcomers.
Ron however was a little older when he
came to us in 1998 having been a partner in
Merritt’s Transport which we purchased in
March of that year. What we did not realise
was that Ron had extensive experience in the
LTL sector going back to his days at Mayne
Nickless in the seventies. That experience
and Ron’s incredible ability to work the hours
to get the job done whilst at the same time
imparting his knowledge to Mark has proved
to be invaluable.
During a speech which I gave recently I
mentioned that when we went into the
LTL business we, as a family, did not realise
just what was required. I am sure that
we underestimated the requirements for
terminals, PUD equipment and the need to
change all the linehaul gear to drop deck
tautliners. Fortunately Ron was more aware
and he drove us on these issues. If he had not
done so we would not have the infrastructure
we have today, an infrastructure that forms
the platform of our next phase. Operations,
sales, administration and directors, Ron was
happy to push his point of view to all to
ensure the job got done.
Ron whilst ever the company is around, and
it will be, you will be fondly remembered
as a pioneer and pivotal to the growth and
success of Border Express. As you pass the
trucks all around Australia you will be able
to say to yourself “well I had a bit to do with
that”. The family says thank you and we wish
you a very long, happy and non stressful
This year has been momentous
for many reasons and none more
that the decision taken by Ron
Crowe to hang up his boots and
go camping. Few people have
the opportunity of being at the
embryonic stage of a business
and playing a pivotal role. Rod
Coelli, Eddie Morrison and Dale
McBean did so as starters in a
very small simple Border Express
some 28 years ago. Fortunately
young Rod and young Dale are
still making their contribution.
retirement, even though we are not sure how
Irene is going to handle you. I am sure that
everyone in the company would want to
echo our sentiments.
And so we come to another Christmas
and I am happy to say that I am in a fair
bit better shape than for the last one.
A thanks to you all for your support through
an extremely difficult year and whilst we have
a long way to go on
the road to recovery
at least we are on it.
We… Lynn, myself
and the brothers wish
you a very happy and
safe Christmas.
100 SPEED
LIMITED
New national laws to address heavy
vehicle speeding commenced in Victoria
on 9th November, 2009. The laws apply
to vehicles with a GVM of more than
4.5 tonne and will replace the current
three strike program. As a party in the
chain of responsibility, including employer,
prime contractor, scheduler, consignor,
consignee and loading managers, the
new law requires all to take reasonable
steps to ensure your activities do not
cause or contribute to a breach of speed
limits. Heavy vehicles caught speeding
may trigger an investigation of employers
and prime contractors, resulting in court
penalties for breaches of duties for speed
compliance. Employers may be subject
to a range of court penalties based on
offences committed by company drivers
and sub contractors.
“SPEEDING – DON’T RISK IT.”
Peter Kane and Ron Crowe.
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
1
Editor’s Update
BY ANYONE’S MEASURE, 2009 HAS
BEEN A VERY CHALLENGING YEAR.
The six months through to December 2008
had been a record for the organisation
financially and we were looking forward
to a strong second half. Wind the clock
forward 12 months and it has been to a
large degree about survival. The second
six months were the worst in our history
as the freight and logistics industry took
an absolute pounding. As is often the
case, well managed companies survive
these challenges and the directors are
very confident we have survived the
worst.
Just about everyone in the company felt
the impact and responded accordingly.
Whether it was a reduction in overtime,
a nine day fortnight or salary sacrifices, it
was a somewhat humbling experience for
us to see so many people make a sacrifice
to help the company through this very
difficult period.
Firstly we restructured into four divisions.
Director
Director
Director
Director
Corporate Services
LTL Services
Line-Haul Services
Logistics Services
Unit Managers
GM Marketing
National
and Sales
Fleet Manager
Regional
Operations
Manager
National Line
Haul Operations
Manager
Once this was completed we turned our
focus to the operating structure. There
were many reasons why we created
another management layer, the Regional
Operations Manager, but we thought this
structure would best serve the needs
of the organisation going forward. As
you can see from the chart below, Tracie
Kachel is the one that will build up the
most frequent flyer points as she travels
from one side of the country to the other.
Mark Luff
Barry
Macnee
Mark
Luff
Jim
Stace
Mark
Luff
Dale
McBean
Mark
Luff
Albury
Adelaide
Gold Coast
Sydney
Clayton
Perth
Canberra
Derrimut
Darwin
This structure will enable us to renew our
focus on the four pillars of the Twenty10
vision.
• Growth
• A single process
• Focus process management
• Delivering value to our customer
Depots
2
Vicki and her team launched the Employee
Self Serve system nationally, streamlining
a key process in our company.
Warehousing
A real focus on integrating this into our LTL/
linehaul operation has been launched.
Equipment
Tracie Kachel
Newcastle
Vision Twenty10
HR Information System
The implementation of Crown forklifts
across the nation will have a marked
impact on safety and maintenance.
Brisbane
However, whilst we were being challenged
financially, 2009 may well be viewed in
years to come as a watershed year for the
company. Thankfully our Twenty10 vision
was well entrenched and we were able to
continue to focus on the end game, rather
than be side tracked by short term issues.
So what are some of the achievements in
2009?
National
Logistics
Manager
We moved into our new Adelaide depot
in January, completing a massive revamp
of our capacity around the country. There
is still plenty for us to do as we expand
into a bigger shed in Newcastle and the
impending move into a purpose built
premises in Darwin.
There have been many other achievements throughout the year, both large
and small, made by many people and/or
groups of people, our thanks for your
contribution.
Border Express is committed to one of the
toughest sectors in the industry, express
Less Than Full Loads (LTL). This sector
requires a massive amount of resources;
people, technology, depots and a
flexible fleet. We are committed to being
recognised as the leading organisation in
this sector, providing our customers with
an on time and in full service they value.
If 2009 was a watershed year, then 2010
is shaping up as a year of realisation. It
will be the final year of the Twenty10
vision, with a host of innovative initiatives
being rolled out at various times during
the year. It will be an exciting time as we
consolidate our position as a leading LTL
provider.
Training
As always, it won’t be without its
challenges.
We became an Enterprise Registered
Training Organisation (RTO) in June this
year, enabling us to increase our focus on
training people the Border Express way.
I trust you have a safe and happy Christmas
and you have the opportunity to have a
well earned break.
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
Training and Employee Development
AS WE SAY GOODBYE TO YET
ANOTHER YEAR WE ALSO SAY
GOODBYE TO WODONGA
TAFE AND THE NATIONAL
INDUSTRIAL SKILLS TRAINING
CENTRE (NISTC).
We have operated under an
auspice
arrangement
with
Wodonga Tafe and NISTC for the
past five years delivering training
and assessment to our employees
in the Certificate III Transport and
Distribution.They supplied us with
the training package and tools
for assessment and we delivered
the training. We have seen great
Left to right: Jessica Cook MEGT, Gavin Rowell, Annette Barclay, Chantel Lappin MEGT (Australian Apprenticeships
results from this arrangement
Centre Representative), Matthew Shearer, Melissa J Bird, Amy Hira, Matthew Hooper and Leah Rolfe.
with 358 employees gaining their
Certificate III qualification. For this
Matthew Shearer is the first ever person enrolled in the BEx Cert III programme here in Perth.
we would like to thank all the staff
at Wodonga Tafe and NISTC for their help
We kicked off enrolments in Perth on the
and guidance every step of the way.
18th of August. Our first trainees were
signed as an RTO and Annette got them
As they say when one door closes another
underway. Previously to this, we had no
opens and in our case we have opened
Perth employees in the Certificate III
the door on many fantastic opportunities
program. We currently have around 150
DAVE KREUTZBERGER
for the training department, our trainees
Trainee’s enrolled in the Border Express
and Border Express as a whole.
RTO across the country.
NSW apprentice of
the year awards
June 6th saw Border Express become
a Registered Training Organisation.
This allowed the training department
to developed and implement training
packages to suit our organisation. We
can now deliver and issue two nationally
recognised qualifications. They are
TLI31107 Certificate III in Transport
and Logistics (Logistics Operation) and
TLI30207 Certificate III in Transport and
Logistics (Road Transport).
Needless to say, we are looking forward
to our next round of enrolments and the
exciting changes that the New Year will
bring for the training department. We
would like to wish you all a very merry
Christmas and all the best for the New
Year.
Gavin Rowell
Payroll Department
Christmas pay processing will be
paid and processed as per normal
weekly processing on Tuesday 22nd
December 2009 and Tuesday 29th
December 2009. The pay office will be
operational over the Christmas New
Year period.
Annual leave Request
Please ensure your Christmas Annual
leave request have been submitted
in ESS for processing. If you require
Annual leave to be paid in “Advance”
please contact the pay office to discuss
your options.
Public Holidays
Christmas Day
Friday
25th December 2009
Boxing Day
Monday
28th December 2009
New Years Day
Friday
1st January 2010
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
In September Dave Kreutzberger
travelled with Jason Dixon to Sydney
to attend the NSW apprentice of the
year awards. David has had a year full of
achievement with both his results from
his trade course and the awards he has
won along the way. To cap off his year
David was announced as the NSW Top
Apprentice in the Vehicle Trades, which
is a fantastic achievement. You need
assistance along the way to achieve
these awards so many thanks to Jason
Dixon in the workshop and Gavin Rowell
and Leah Rolfe in the training depart.
Mostly though our congratulations go
to David on winning such an award. All
of us at Border Express are proud of
you, well done.
3
Compliance Department
THE COST OF COMPLIANCE… ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
2009 has proven to be a very busy year in the Compliance
Department. New legislation in Fatigue Management, revised
Chain of Responsibility laws, the new Dangerous Goods Code
07, the introduction of Random Drug & Alcohol testing and the
commencement of the Intelligent Access Program… “just to
name a few” has kept the Compliance policy writers at Border
Express extremely busy.
Fatigue Management
With the introduction of the
new fatigue laws in September
2008, Border Express reviewed
our entire fatigue management
system and headed down the
road of gaining accreditation in
Basic Fatigue Management (BFM).
After complying with all necessary
requirements of the accreditation
process, including driver medicals,
training and policy /procedure
development Border Express was
accredited in BFM in April 2009.
Random Drug & Alcohol Testing Program
Border Express as an employer has assessed that it operates in an
industry where drug and alcohol misuse represents a significant
hazard to the safety of all employees, visitors to our sites and
others impacted on by our activities.
In collaboration with injury management specialists, Work Options
and the Victorian Transport Association (VTA) Border Express
have introduced a Random Drug & Alcohol Testing program. All
employees, contractors and visitors to our sites are subject to
random drug and alcohol testing from saliva sampling and breath
testing.
Intelligent Access Program (IAP)
The Intelligent Access Program is a system that uses the Global
Navigational Satellite System to monitor vehicles operating at
Higher Mass Limits (HML).
Border Express began operating IAP in company and sub contractor
vehicles in June 2009. This has given Border Express flexible
access to the Australian
road network to suit the
operational needs of our
customers.
PACIA – Responsible Care Program
The Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association is the preeminent national body representing Australia’s chemicals and
plastics industries. Continuing our ongoing relationship with
PACIA Border Express recently gained accreditation in the PACIA
Responsible Care Program for Employee Health & Safety and the
safe storage and transport of dangerous goods and hazardous
substances.
“Compliance – it is very important to us.”
Craig Olsson
Workshop success story
What was once a tired old Merritt Transport
workhorse in Canberra’s fleet, racking up just over
900,000 kms, has recently been given a new lease
of life.
Michael Kane’s crew at the Clayton workshop
have successfully converted the 95’ Iveco from a
tautliner into a rigid for just over $20,000 in parts.
It has been put back into local service again at our
Perth Depot, primarily for dangerous goods bulk
deliveries.
Peter Kane
4
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
Business Improvement
TO MEET THE EVER EXPANDING REQUESTS FOR IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT, THE BUSINESS
IMPROVEMENT TEAM HAS TAKEN ON A NEW MEMBER.
Lachlan Emptage, formerly Business
Analyst in our IT Department took two
months away from the business and
returned to a new role in September. He has
taken on the role of Business Improvement
Facilitator – Systems. This role is primarily
a research and development function
with his key initial focus being research
into options for bar-coding freight. This
will involve developing a business case
to determine the optimum solution
and identify the cost benefit before any
decision is made as to if we proceed or not.
Lachlan is based at our Clayton depot.
The Business Improvement Team has been
involved in many activities over the past
few months including:
•
•
•
Assisting the Adelaide depot staff to
setup the new depot to be able to
efficiently handle a greater volume
of freight. As one example, changing
the floor layout and adding three new
roller doors has made a 50% reduction
in linehaul unloading time and forklift
travel.
Supporting the depot pallet controllers
in an acting pallet management
capacity until the appointment of the
new national manager.
Supporting our national Warehouse
team to establish efficient operational
processes during a period of rapid
expansion.
Lachlan Emptage and Brett Crowe getting amongst the freight.
•
Assisting a working group that is
reviewing onforwarders and subcontractors agreements.
•
Developing a range of work instructions
to assist in standardising work in several
areas where inconsistent and inefficient
practices existed.
•
Support to the Human Resources
information system and electronic
purchase order teams.
•
Setting up runs (suburb groupings) in
Transport Suite for several depots.
•
Commenced a review of our con note
to see if we can improve our must
fundamental business document.
That’s it for now. As always, feel free to
contact any of the Business Improvement
Facilitators or myself if you have a question
or even better, an idea on how we can
improve our business.
Mark Chaston
Bits & Bytes
Another year passes and this one seems
to be ending as it begun, more depot
moves and upgrades! With the new
premises at Darwin moving toward
completion I’m wondering how many
volunteers I’ll get for heading north to
fit out the new depot prior to it coming
online! Also Dave Watts is finally getting
that office he’s been dreaming about.
It’s great to see that even with all the
financial turbulence over the past 18
months that we are still able to grow the
business and invest in great locations
and facilities. Growth and demand on
IT systems has continued despite these
issues with several of our new accounts
utilising a wider range of services.This
has increased the need for integration
between our warehousing and transport
systems, not to mention a higher reliance
on information from the HR information
system for employee details.
In September we renewed our communications contract with Telstra, and with
this a move to install fibre to ethernet
WAN connections at both the Albury and
Clayton depots. This type of connection is
relatively new to those outside the CBD
areas. Once in, it will not only provide a
better feed to users at the depots, but
allow us to maintain a higher degree of
backup, which is located at Clayton. These
links are scheduled to be installed mid to
late December.
year and the effort they have made but
also all those involved in assisting us and
the Business Improvement team with the
various initiatives rolled out over the past
year. The support from each of the depots
has been great and it’s this support from
staff that makes any project successful.
For all those looking to get a PC or laptop
for Christmas, our recommendation
is to skip the Microsoft Vista range of
operating systems and grab your item
with either the traditional XP or the new
Windows 7 version of operating systems.
Have a great Christmas and New Year!
Jeff Quinn
I’d also like to take this opportunity to
thanks not only the IT staff for a great
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
5
Congratulations
How Time Flies
In November 2008 Border Express
introduced a Service Recognition
Program to formally recognise the
significant and continuous milestones
achieved by employees of Border
Express. Upon completion of service
employees receive a gift card to spend
on themselves!
Max and the family would like
to congratulate the following
employees on their service to
Border Express:
RS SERVI
YEA $250 CE
Peter Allen
Michael Bury
John Dearlove
Kevin Glasson
Stephen Hogg
Peter Olsen
Grant Tisdell
RS SERVI
YEA $500 CE
Anthony Hart
Raymond Short
Paul Vidgen
RS SERVI
YEA $1000 CE
Julie Martyr
Gwen Whitford
Human Resources
IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO THAT I WAS PREPARING THE ARTICLE
FOR THE WINTER NEWSLETTER, I KNOW I PASSED THE COMMENT THEN, AND
I’LL REINFORCE IT NOW – THE YEAR HAS SIMPLY FLOWN BY!
Much was planned for HR in 2009 and
while the team has enjoyed the journey
and delivered many new initiatives, I don’t
think there is a person reading this article
who won’t be looking forward to a well
earned rest over the Christmas break
before we jump into 2010.
Early in year we rolled out the new
Employee Self Serve (ESS) system across
the company with approximately 650
employees and managers receiving
training in this new system. We completed
our first full financial year using our HRIS
and employees were able to access their
payment summaries (group certificates)
online for the first time. Not only did this
benefit the environment (we didn’t kill
nearly as many tree’s this year), employees
also benefited by gaining faster access
to their group certificates. Sorry Australia
Post, we worked around you this year!
While the global financial crises (GFC) had
some impact on Border Express, our core
values, systems and processes remained
strong and enabled us to emerge a better
placed company in the labour market. The
GFC has not eliminated skill shortages in
the Transport Industry, however the tables
have turned slightly and we experienced
a noticeable increase in applications for
the July to September 2009 quarter. 2,550
applications were received during this
time compared with 774 during the same
period last year. That’s a 69% increase
in people wanting to work for Border
Express! Rest assured the team were
kept very busy working through these
applications with the aim of ensuring only
the best candidates were selected to join
the Border Express family.
On 1 July 2009 the Fair Work Act (FWA)
came into operation. The impact to
Border Express was minimal, with most
of our company policies, procedures and
agreements already providing employee’s
provisions well above the minimum
requirements. The process for making a
workplace agreement (EBA) also changed
under the FWA and I am pleased to
announce that our first FWA and first
combined transport and warehousing
agreement came into effect on September
22, 2009 in Adelaide.
We commenced discussions with the
Adelaide team prior to 1 July 2009,
however once that calendar flicked over
6
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
we had to start all over again under a
new process. Despite having to learn
‘on the fly’ Tracie, Damian, Liam and the
Adelaide employee representatives were
an absolute pleasure to work with and
we now have an agreement in place
which truly benefits our employees and
Border Express.
In October 2009 we farewelled a long
serving member of the HR team. Jill
Hawkins, Payroll Supervisor processed her
last pay on Tuesday, October 6, 2009. For
those of you who knew or had dealings
with Jill, you will attest to her dedication,
commitment and compassion.
Jill joined the company in August of
1998 and commenced working in the
Accounts Receivable Department. The
HR Department we see here today was
non-existent for many years and Jill was
responsible for the incredible task of
establishing the department! I recall
Jill telling me of her early years with
Border Express, we paid our employees
without the aid of awards or agreements,
handshake deals were the norm, you
worked hard and usually referred for
jobs, nobody had a CV much less a
recruitment process! Jill worked tirelessly
to implement many of the systems,
processes and forms we use today and
we have much to thank her for. After 11
years of service we wish Jill all the very
best in her future endeavours.
Following the implementation of the
FWA, the Government’s ‘Modern Award’
system and National Employment
Standards (NES) will become effective
from 1 January 2009. The HR team
are busily updating company policies,
procedures and systems to ensure that
we comply with the new requirements.
So as we prepare to end another year
we turn our thoughts towards important
matters such as Christmas shopping,
parties and all that comes with this
special time of year.
On behalf of myself and the HR team I
wish you all a happy and safe Christmas
and look forward to working with you all
to make 2010 a fantastic and rewarding
year.
Neisha Webster
National HR Manager
Robert Bruce (Bob) Shipard
UNFORTUNATELY AUGUST SAW THE
PASSING OF THE POPULAR BOB
SHIPARD.
Bob first started contracting to Border
Express in May 2004 and at the time of his
death had three B Double combinations
working one way between Melbourne
and Brisbane. With his wife Mavis and
son David working in the business, Bob’s
vehicles clocked up an amazing 694 trips
without any accidents.
Born at The Rock (near Wagga Wagga)
in 1937, Bob was a jackaroo in Bathurst
before marrying his wife Mavis in 1957 and
becoming a sharefarmer near Tallangatta.
Bob quickly became embedded in the
local community including the local CFA.
In 1973 Bob sold the farm and moved
into “Stump Hill” at Barjarg, purchasing
the Mansfield Super business and in the
process got hooked on trucks. His first
truck was a Mercedes Benz 1413. In 1989
Bob put the fourth B Double combination
in Australia on the road, running from
Wahgunyah to Perth.
Warehousing
IT HAS BEEN AN EXCITING BUT HECTIC TIME SINCE IT WAS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED
WAREHOUSING AS A SEPARATE DIVISION IN JUNE.
Previously we had been operating standalone warehouses in Barnawartha (Albury),
Perth and Laverton. New facilities in
Adelaide and Derrimut were the catalyst
for us to implement a strategy for a coordinated approach to this sector of the
supply chain and to develop an additional
suite of services for our clients.
While it has been a busy period for all
involved, the teams at Derrimut and
Adelaide have thrived on the challenges.
The implementation of two major accounts in a short period has been a demanding
process. An enormous amount of work
was required to bed down the warehouse
processes in addition to satisfying the
specific needs of each account. There was
a tremendous amount of commitment
and dedication shown by the team over
an extended period and this enabled us
to ultimately generate the best possible
outcomes for the clients.
One particularly gratifying aspect of
this process has been the support and
assistance that has been forthcoming
from other areas of the business. Whether
it was the team in transport looking after
the “Little Brother” division or the Business
Improvement Team who answered the
call and spent many hours watching and
reviewing our processes and assisting us
to refine and develop our systems. The
IT department found resources at short
notice to meet the bespoke requirements
of our individual customers. Accounts,
Training, HR, Compliance, Safety and
Sales have all stepped up to the plate as
required and contributed where ever they
have been able. Thanks to everyone who
has assisted through the development
and any teething issues.
Another area of the business that has
been challenging is the Logic facility at
Barnawatha. Despite the quiet, idyllic rural
environment of the warehouse there has
been plenty of activity. Operating at 110%
capacity obviously creates its own set
of issues but the guys have risen to the
challenge and have continued to provide
fantastic service. Even more impressively
they have done it without Samantha.
Congratulations to Sam on the birth of a
beautiful baby son!
Bob was still doing the occasional trip
at the time of his death. The trucking
industry has lost one of its most popular
characters.
Our condolences go to Mavis and the
family.
Peter Kane
Fundraising
Border Express Albury depot donated
the services of a Prime Mover and trailer
for use as a stage during a fundraising
event organised by the Lions Club and
Wodonga City Council. The motorbike
show and shine was held on Sunday 1
November at Gateway Island to raise
money for Kidney Health Australia. The
show attracted 142 bikes that were on
display and raised in excess of $7000.
The main aim of the show was to exhibit a
range of motorcycles from the early 1900’s
through to the modern era, including
vintage, veteran, classic and custom bikes
and was designed as a community event
to raise money for charity.
There will be ongoing challenges and
opportunities as the Warehousing
Division continues to develop. Thanks to
everyone who has got us this far and who
continue to help as we get bigger, better
and increasingly customer centric.
Jon Luff
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
7
Employee Welfare Department
Self Insurance
I Chose to Look the Other Way
It will be two years in January since the
commencement of our Self Insurance
Licence under the Comcare System. The
Employee Welfare Department have been
managing our Worker’s Compensation
claims and return to work processes
internally as well as working on programs
and strategies for preventing work related
injuries and illness.
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
It wasn’t that I didn’t care,
I had the time, and I was there.
But I didn’t want to seem the fool,
Or argue over a safety rule.
I knew he had done the job before,
If I called it wrong, he might get sore.
The chances didn’t seem that bad,
I’ve done the same, he knew I had.
So I shook my head and walked on by,
He knew the risks as well as I.
He took the chance, I closed an eye,
And with the act, I let him die.
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
Now every time I see his wife,
I’ll know I should have saved his life.
That guilt is something I must bear,
But it isn’t something you need to share.
If you see a risk, that others take,
That puts their health or life at stake.
The question asked, or things you say,
Could help them live another day.
If you see a risk and walk away,
Then hope you never have to say,
I could have saved a life that day,
But I chose to look the other way.
The licence is due for renewal on 1 July,
2010 and it is our intention to apply for
an extension to continue as a self insurer.
Licence extensions are usually granted
for a four year period and our application
must be lodged by early March 2010.
There will be further communication to all
depots early in the New Year.
If you have any questions or comments
about Border Express’s intention to apply
for the extension of our Self Insurance
Licence please direct them to Cheryl
Miller.
Email: [email protected]
Fax:
02 6022 6060
Mail to: Employee Welfare Department
PO Box 411, Albury NSW 2640
Author Unknown
Audits
The annual Comcare audits of our OHS
systems and our Claims and Rehabilitation
management will commence in the last
week of February 2010. The audits are one
part of the review process that Comcare
have in place to monitor our performance
as self insurers.
I have had this poster on my wall for
a couple of years and it is a constant
reminder of why safety is more important
than anything else we do.
Have a Safe and Happy Christmas.
Cheryl Miller
Employee Welfare Manager
Who do they look like?
There is always a
Safer Way
Time taken for safety is time well spent. At
this busy time of year there is a potential
for an increase in incidents as very often
people get hurt because they are trying
hard to do the right thing, but going
about it in the wrong way. Rushing to get
a delivery to a customer and then getting
injured by jumping out of the truck cab or
trying to unload the trailer more quickly
and getting hurt because the curtain has
jammed during pulling back will not save
time.
By taking 5 minutes to stop and assess
what you are about to do won’t kill you,
but not doing so could! Remember:
STOP
Don’t rush into a task
THINK
Think about what you are about to do
ASSESS
Ask yourself what could go wrong
CONTROL
Use your training, use your experience
CARE
Look after yourself and your colleagues
Mick Clewes
Senior Health & Safety Officer
Plants good for
healthier offices
Australian researchers have found
indoor plants of almost any size
can contribute to safer, healthier
workplace environments.
Turn over for the answer.
8
It was found that plants are able
to remove toxins from the air
in offices that are air-conditioned
and closed most of the time. The
Training Centre in Albury now has
3 indoor plants brought from home
after reading this article.
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
Injury Management and Rehabilitation
AN INJURY RESPONSE PROGRAM HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE COMPANY TO ENABLE AN IMMEDIATE
RESPONSE TO SUPPORT AND ASSIST EMPLOYEES WHO ARE INJURED UNDERTAKING THEIR WORK DUTIES.
Employees with minor injuries have
access to the full injury management and
return to work support services resulting
in a speedy recovery and return to normal
duties.
Sadly, we have had a number of our
employees undergo surgery in 2009 as a
result of their injuries sustained at work.
Many of these employees have been
very impressive with their diligence in
undertaking their rehabilitation programs
thus enabling them to return to work and
perform suitable duties earlier than the
recovery guidelines. We are blessed with a
dedicated workforce who are very willing
to return to the depot and contribute by
assisting with operations, administrative
duties or freight assurance stations in the
yard.
We have a great culture of supporting
our injured employees remain connected
to the business during their recovery.
Our Return to Work Co-ordinators play
an important role in visiting our injured
employees in hospital, driving them to
appointments and visiting them at home
to ensure they have everything they
require whilst recovering.
Back row: Steve McNally (Canberra), Kevin Dettmann (Adelaide), Leonie Dye and Gary Davis (Perth).
Second row: Michelle Xue, Wendy Horn, Jacinta Macaulay, Lynne Prosser (Brisbane), Shanee
Hickford (Clayton), Ian Pearce (Sydney) and Nick Wagner (Darwin).
Front Row: Collin Facey (Clayton) and Cheryl Miller.
Our Team of Return to Work Co-ordinators
attended a training seminar in Albury during
August which was a great opportunity for
them to undergo professional development
to assist them in carrying out their roles in
the depots. Ian Pearce from the Sydney
depot was named Return to Work Coordinator of the year in recognition of the
tremendous amount of work he does in
this area in our busiest depot.
The Benefits of Stretching Exercises at Work
If you’re wondering what you can do
to lessen your chances of getting hurt
at work, it really could be as simple as
stretching. You could lessen the chance
of getting injured if your muscles and
ligaments are warmed up. What makes
stretching so significant? Take into
consideration the fact that the longer
you sit or stand at work without breaks or
time to stretch, you are putting yourself
at greater risk of developing stiffness,
neck, arm, wrist, hand, back and leg strain,
as well as painful muscle tension. Small
strains and stiffness may not seem like a
big deal but the longer you deal with it,
the worse it will get and if left untreated,
can cause you to have a lot of pain and
discomfort.
Stretching isn’t just for the fitness buffs.
Everyday people can learn simple
stretching exercises to incorporate into
their workdays to give their bodies a break
and warm up. More and more employers
are recognising the importance of
stretching to keep their employees safe
and have created safety brochures that
illustrate the best stretching exercises
that can be performed at work.
The Employee Welfare Department is
developing a program for employees
which can be incorporated into your day.
Wendy Horn, our Senior Welfare Officer,
is an Occupational Therapist and will
work closely with a physiotherapist, to
develop a program that is practical for all
workers. Wendy will be visiting all depots
in the next six months to lead education
programs on stretching.
Stretching is just about the simplest of all
physical activities. It is the perfect antidote
for long periods of inactivity, holding still
and for getting ready for activity. Regular
stretching throughout the day will:
•
Warm up and limber your muscles and
joints
• Improve circulation
• Reduce anxiety, stress, and fatigue
• Improve mental alertness
• Decrease the risk of injury
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
• Make your work easier
• Tune your mind into your body
• Make you feel better!
So until the education program think
about what you do throughout the day at
work and when you think that stretching
will benefit you.
Wendy Horn
Senior Welfare Officer
CATCH A CROOK
If you see something suspicious
going on, don’t hesitate! Pick up
the phone and call the Border
Express crime hotline on
1800 149 429
It’s completely anonymous and it
is helping to secure the future of
our employees and the business.
9
Put ADA On Your Radar!
DEPRESSION IS COMMON AND CAN AFFECT ANYONE AT ANY TIME
FOR MANY DIFFERENT REASONS.
More than one million people in Australia experience depression, however, with
the right treatment most recover.
The impact of depression on the workplace:
•
On average, depression accounts for three to four days off work per month for
each person with the illness. That’s over six million working days lost each year
in Australia.
•
Untreated depression can result in a significant reduction in work performance
with serious implications for work safety.
•
Australian research has shown that for every 1000 employees, the estimated
productivity loss due to undiagnosed depression is $647,000 per annum.
•
Overall, it is estimated that undiagnosed depression costs the Australian
economy $4.3 billion in lost productivity each year.
•
The side effects of the transport industry can lead to depression, anxiety,
health issues and sadly even suicides.
During October, Border Express celebrated Anxiety, Depression Awareness
month (ADA) to help raise awareness with posters and information displayed in
all depots. Free ADA kits were distributed. Drivers were also invited to participate
in the free health check screenings conducted by Trans-Help Foundation at the
Tarcutta changeover bays.
Are you or one of your friends:
•
•
•
Feeling down?
Withdrawing from family/friends?
Feeling like you’re losing control?
• Drinking or smoking too much?
• Easily irritated or upset?
It could be depression. Contact your GP or a support line to access assistance.
Further information is available at:
Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 or
Trans-Help 1300 787 996
www.beyondblue.org.au
www.transhelpfoundation.com.au
Colin “Crackhead” Draper and Mr John Todd!
Albury
A very interesting last three months at Border Express
Albury with significant variations in volumes that
has made planning of man-power and equipment
difficult This and the ever increasing demands by
our customers has, at times, tested our operational
flexibility.
It is pleasing to see that volumes have been increasing
and it is difficult to believe that Christmas is soon
upon us and we begin the `mad rush´.
The addition of Seeley and Elders nationally has had
a significant impact for the Albury team with Seeley
having a production facility based in Albury and
despatching approximately one to two semi loads
per day to Melbourne, Adelaide and Canberra. With
Elders we are sending vehicles twice a week into
North East Victoria and the Riverina, which allows us
to provide an extended regional service.
As with a number of the other depots, we have
started to increase our employee numbers to cope
with the increased volumes. I would like to welcome
Clayton
Well what a year we have had! The year has come
and gone at such a rate of knots that we did not
seem to catch our breath from the year before. Firstly
we positioned ourselves to take all before us only
to get whacked by the Global Financial Crisis which
certainly slowed us all up. But as we always do, we
toughed it out and came out the other side with a
lot of positive signs. It is a tribute to all that we have
worked our butts off to remain in the position we
are in. That being said, we will all be maintaining that
level in the future so as we can push forward and
meet the company vision that we all are aware of.
At a Clayton depot level we have had our challenges,
however I would like to thank everybody for pulling
together in these hard times. With the increased
volume through our Derrimut depot we relocated
Alan Dyke to look after most of our on forwarding
movements which means we have had to rely on
our old reliable John Todd to fill the breach in or on
forwarding from Clayton. Still plenty of life in the
old dog.
We have Lachlan Emptive join us from Albury as part
of the Business Improvement Team. We are having
trouble getting the propeller of his head (formerly
in the IT) but we have broken a few blades. We have
added a new Supervisor to our rank Todd Chapman.
Welcome aboard.
We have had three of our drivers with new additions
to there families. Jamie Peck, Lucas Kerri and David
Fraser; congratulations to all.
10
From a personal level, I am proud of everybody’s
input this year and I thank you all very much. May
you all have a great Christmas and New Year and we
will do it all again in 2010.
Dale McBean
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
in the depots
Brendan Compton and Greg Riley to the Albury
team, both joining us as local PUD drivers.
Congratulations to John Kreutzberger and his
partner Esther on the arrival of their first
child… apparently John has no problem
hearing the “alarm” when its time to get up.
Our monthly BBQ “challenge” is almost
over with only two teams left to perform…
Team GP Luff (November) and team GA Luff
(December)… and we eagerly await their
offerings… although rumour has it team
October will be hard to beat (bit of editorial
bias used here!).
I would take this opportunity to thank the
Albury team for their terrific effort and
understanding in what has been a difficult
year. Well done by all.
The Lads at the 2009 Melbourne Cup lunch. Left to right: Chris Wright, Matt Hamilton,
Robyn Oswald, Craig Olsson, Peter Allen, Stephen Hogg and Wade Altmeier.
To the greater Border Express team around the
country we thank you for help and support
throughout the year (special thanks from John
Britton to Craig Miller) and hope you all have a
wonderful Christmas.
Jim Hastas
Albury has a traditional Melbourne Cup
lunch each year. This year there was a
difference; a best dressed punter award
for the sexes. Congratulations to Michelle
Xue and Stephen Hogg. Carol Porter and
Damian Oswald both had big days, winning
over $1,600 each in the two big sweeps.
2009 Melbourne Cup lunch. Left to right: Cheryl Miller, Kristy Rosengren,
Aileen Parlevliet, Leeanne Burns, Vanessa Wicks and Wendy Horn.
Newcastle
The Newcastle depot has been growing again.
We have taken advantage of extra space
offered in the building and are staying in the
Cameron Park site. The extra 620 metres has
given us the much needed space required for
daily operations.
With the extra Linehaul now in full effect,
we receive six to seven units per day, a big
difference to the two we were receiving 12
months ago when we first opened in the area.
There are now seven rigids and a 30 foot trailer
in the local fleet, with a prime mover available
to tranship up to two trailer loads of freight to
our on-forwarder’s every day.
There has been a new addition to the local
fleet with one local subbie departing and a
new contractor beginning. Welcome to Richard
from RSG. Richard comes to us with a wealth of
local knowledge and experience.
Team Newcastle: Rob Bellamy, Grant Tisdell, Dave Watts and Pat Lalor.
We are also branching out into the warehousing
sector utilising a further 800 metres of the site.
When warehousing take control of the extra
space there will be enough racking for up to
1000 pallets with room for more racking if
required. Grant Tisdell has relocated from
Sydney and will oversee our warehouse
division.
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
In closing, the Newcastle team
wish everyone and their families
a safe and merry Christmas.
Dave Watts
11
in the depots
Derrimut
Well hasn’t 2009 gone fast. One minute we are
pushing through the quieter times of Winter
and now we are planning for Christmas.
A lot has changed in Derrimut over the past
six months. There have been a number of new
staff members to Warehousing and LTL (too
many to list) with two senior appointments
in Gary Edmiston, Operations Manager, and
Laurie Patching the National Pallet; welcome
to you both. To all the other new Derrimut
staff members, a big welcome to the Border
Express team.
Derrimut has seen the addition of two new
large warehouse customers in Elders Rural
and Seeley International. This has been a
huge impact on the Derrimut depot and I
would like to thank everyone for the effort
they have put into these accounts, not only
from the warehousing team but LTL, who
have made a huge contribution.
Mark Flenley (Albury Linehaul and controller
of all container movements imports and
exports) has popped the question to the
lovely Erin and she has said ˝yes”, so it won’t
be long till we have little container controllers
running around. Congratulation Mark from
all of us.
Derrimut Depot
It is common knowledge that the respected
and admired Director of the LTL division Ron
Crowe has decided to hang up his key board
and travel around Australia. Derrimut would
like to thank Ron for his assistance and being
available at all times when required.
I would also like to personally thank Ron for his
mentoring and friendship in my brief time in
the Border Express family. Good luck and safe
motoring to Ron and Irene.
On behalf of the Derrimut team we would like
to wish everyone a safe and merry Christmas,
see you in the New Year.
Peter Hine
Canberra
Well hopefully it looks like we have pulled
through the slow times and it is all systems go
in Canberra with the lead up to Christmas. Over
the last four to six months we have scrimped
and saved and very carefully reviewed where
every penny has been spent within the A.C.T
branch. Well done to Nicky and Steve as you
guys were excellent in reviewing all aspects
of your departments, going without a lot of
the time. Thank you for going beyond the call
of duty.
In saying this we are well and truly on our
way to ramping up for the Christmas rush and
are now looking at recruiting for the office as
well as local driving positions. Marty Stocken
has left us and taken up a career path within
the RTA vehicle inspectors (we all love these
guys)… good luck Marty, you deserve to be
commended on your time with us. On the
flip side, we have secured the services of Jim
Blyton to fill Marty’s shoes. Jim has a wealth of
managerial experience within the transport
industry, formerly from Roadmaster, TNT and
CEMEX. Welcome Jim, you have big boots to
fill but I`m sure you will succeed.
Jim Blyton, Canberra Fleet Controller.
I would like to welcome all the Seeley
International people I have had the chance to
meet over the past few weeks as we have taken
over all the warehousing and distribution for
their products in Canberra. It´s a great boost
to our operation and the people are a pleasure
to deal. We are looking forward to a long
and successful relationship. I would also like
to welcome Ian Burnell to our warehousing
crew. I have been extremely lucky to of had
a smooth transition with the Seeley product
Ian Burnell, A.C.T. Warehousing.
as Ian ran the previous warehouse here in
Canberra and is well versed in their range of
heating and cooling appliances. Welcome also
to Katrina Gee. Katrina is very experienced in
office administration and will be a tremendous
help to Nicky with her never ending list of
task.
Lastly to all my staff, thanks for your efforts over
the past few months and lets look forward to
the Christmas rush.
Paul Dillon
12
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
Sydney
This last quarter has been one of change in
our approach to the Twenty10 vision and
associated targets. With inputs from the
Business Improvement Team and from Mick
Clewes, the Senior Health and Safety Officer,
we have made some fundamental changes in
how we move towards those aims by adopting
a project approach to the Twenty10 strategy.
The advantages we have found in doing
this include specifying the tasks we need
to achieve, delegating those tasks to Action
Groups and then working against defined
timelines to achieve the desired results.
It is early days yet with this approach. But, the
delegation of responsibility to Action Groups,
formed by forkies, team leaders, supervisors
and management gives responsibility and
accountability across the whole spectrum of
our team, and gives everyone ‘ownership’. We
have high hopes for our Action Groups as an
effective way forward.
Mens’ Health
It is Movember again and there are several
initiatives to support Mens’ Health issues, both
in growing hairy appendages, and in other
cases, removing facial hair! Most notably, Peter
Tribe having sported his beard for 37 years
without shaving and Ross Provins wearing
his for the past 33 years continuously, have
agreed to shave off at the end of this month
in support of this worthy cause. It is widely
believed that they won’t recognise themselves
with hairless faces, let alone the rest of us!
Melbourne Cup Celebrations
Talking of photos, below is a photo taken of
some of the Sydney front office ladies, in all
their glory! After a good celebratory lunch
and the excitement of a three minute horse
race(?), there was a fashion contest, and this
years Best Dressed was awarded to Michelle
Bartlett. Well done Michelle, although picking
a winner, was, as usual, a daunting task with
the terrific standard presented by all.
The Movembers: Ross Provins and Peter Tribe.
Customer Service
We warmly welcome some new staff members.
Lisa Fullagar takes over as Team Leader, and
joining Lisa in Customer Service we welcome
Ozlem (Ozzy) Testici and Jodie Holmes. Like
all of us here at Sydney, the team is focussing
on process, making sure that there is accurate
information exchange between all parties
to ensure that we deliver the best possible
service.
OH&S
Congratulations to Ian Pearce who recently
received the accolade of Return to Work
Coordinator of the Year. Well done Ian, your
tireless efforts are greatly appreciated!
Continuing a trend, again thanks are due to
Mick Clewes for his extremely helpful input
to our Depot throughout this quarter. Mick’s
input leading up to and during a recent OH&S
audit which he conducted, have had a huge
impact on setting us in the right direction to
make the depot a safer and more compliant
place. This will have a direct beneficial impact
on all our people. Thanks are also due to the
Action Teams who have formulated, and put
in place, the changes and improvement. Well
done guys!
Sydney Strategic Plan
As mentioned in the introduction, we now
have a different approach to how we are
implementing the plan. How do we eat the
elephant? One bite at a time. In order to eat
this particular “elephant”, we have split our
targets into 3 monthly, or quarterly, chunks.
This was implemented for the first time in the
third quarter of this year (Q3), and has proved
very useful in keeping our plan on track. By
taking the Project approach, with allocation
of tasks and defined timelines, it has proved
effective in achieving measurable results. We
hope this will help us achieve our aims set out
in the Twenty10 Strategy.
Jim Stace
Sydney Admin/Sales girls. Left to right: Gwen Whitford, Ilona Grgin, Ozzie Testici, Michelle Bartlett, Kelly Redmayne, Jodie Holmes,
Christie Morris, Kathy Wilkinson and Liz Winstanley.
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
13
in the depots
Adelaide, Darwin and Perth
Well what a year we have had in the west and
far north!
Adelaide This time last year the team were
seriously thinking that they would not handle
the 500 tonne of freight into the depot on any
given day, now its like ‘only 500 tonne’ Well
done team Adelaide.
During the past few months the warehouse
and transport divisions in the Adelaide depot
have been working solidly together to bed
down our new accounts that have taken up
much of our warehouse area but has also
dramatically affected how we operated our
transport division. Well done to everyone that
has contributed. Damian and Liam and their
teams have worked hard to build the bridge
between the warehouse and transport side of
the depot… we are now working on the other
bridge on the Darwin end, so watch out Mark
for the renovations as we build a total team!
Team Darwin are experiencing an influx of
freight now, not only from the Adelaide depot
but a couple of units a week by Brisbane.
Barry and his team are working on Ron’s ‘no
air’ theory and yes it is work in progress, but
thanks Baz for helping to make this happen!
The new depot should be up and running
by early December. Glenn and the team are
looking forward to relocating and the fact that
it is so close to rail will only assist them in the
operations on Monday mornings. We will have
lots of help from IT and the BIT Team to ensure
that move is a better one for all concerned.
Perth Damian and his team are busier than
most could have imagined. They have just
taken on a huge account which now has
them chasing more road units back to the
east coast than what we currently receive.
Well done to Neil, since you came on board,
we have been moving forward in leaps and
bounds. It appears that all is good in Perth…
Tracie who?
Mark Donovan, Warehouse AM Team Leader,
Adelaide.
Amy Hira, Perth Receptionist.
We have now started our training as of
Thursday 18th August 2009 with the AM Shift
leading hand, Matthew Shearer being the first
ever person signed and enrolled into the Cert 3
Transport and Logistics program run by Border
Express in Western Australia. Gavin Rowell, Leah
Rolfe and two MEGT representatives were on
hand to streamline the Traineeship enrolment
process which ran for two and a half days with
Perth signing on 33 Trainees. Since the August
sign ups, Perth depot has concentrated on
increasing forklift awareness and company
safety procedures with all personnel. These
include the forklift/ pedestrian three metre
exclusion zones, enforcing the site speed
limit, pre-operational inspections and tag out
procedures and trialling traffic management
procedures in the linehaul PUD area which
has been received well with good feedback
and results. Supervisors and Leading hands
are inducting Casual Labour Hire Personnel
and doing a great job, with collecting and
checking licenses and keeping records on file
and up to date.
Other areas of training Perth are focusing
on for the busy lead up to Xmas, are Manual
handling practises, WA fatigue compliance,
Company OHS Policy’s and Procedures, Hazard
awareness and Risk Assessment.
Team Perth is full steam ahead with Neil
Coffey our Account Manager bringing on two
new strategic accounts for the Perth Depot,
FINALLY we are sending back our trailers to full
Special thanks and appreciation goes out to
Ron from Perth, Adelaide and Darwin. Ron we
will miss you and your phone calls but we do
wish you the very very best in retirement. May
you find lots of dirt roads to go down, many
rivers to cross, many hours of putting up your
camper, floating down the creek in your tinnie
and lots of that brown ale to drink along the
way (well not too much!). We will miss your
presence, but I’m sure that Mark will keep us
in line!
Adelaide warehouse team. Left to right: Russell Ruf, Jason MacGregor, Nerissa Pantelis, Judy Threadgold,
Liam Terris and David Huntley.
14
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
Brisbane and Gold Coast
Well the Melbourne Cup has been run and
won and oh what a ‘shocking’ result it was for
some. A great effort from the administration
crew, dressed up in frocks and hats for the
big day. A special thanks to local bookie Rick
Callender for organising a variety of sweeps
and congratulations to all our winners.
Brisbane depot recently celebrated its first
birthday at Richlands. The volumes have
increased over the last three months and we
are in a good position as we head into the last
eight weeks before Christmas. Our warehouse
division although small compared to other
sites is starting to build momentum. Dale
Smith and Vernon Chang are busy processing
container unloads; order picks and despatch
for various customer requirements. Keep up
the great work guys.
Amanda Regan, Perth Customer Service.
capacity plus some extra units. With our
new customers on board and the extra
volumes of freight we began sending
direct trailers to Brisbane on Tuesday,
Thursday and Fridays which is proving
very popular with our existing customers.
It has been an exciting year in the Perth
Warehouse and the last couple of months
have seen a few new clients come on board.
We introduced the paperless Warehouse
system into the Perth warehouse at the
beginning of this year and it has been
very challenging and now it is up and
running and working well. It was a team
effort to get all our clients running into
this System and a BIG thank you goes out
to all the team in the warehouse Stewart
Berry, Mark Donovan, Joe Daisley, Clifton
Otte, Melissa Bird and not forgetting the
team from Barnawartha for all their help.
That big line between warehouse and
Linehaul has slowly been diminished as
the boys from linehaul are happy now
to jump in and lend a hand, and the
warehouse sure do appreciate their help
and they are happy to do the same. The
warehouse is not at full capacity at the
moment but volumes are increasing and
we are looking forward to the New Year.
Janelle Jones our Sales Administrator is
leaving to pursue a career in nursing. Her
vacancy has been filled by Mona Hodge who
is returning to Brisbane after an 18 month
sabbatical at the Gold Coast depot. Roslyn
Buckett, our Customer Service Officer is now
back at the Gold Coast to help fill the void left
by Mona’s move to Brisbane.
Congratulations to Annie Boswell who turned
21 late September. You couldn’t be excused
for missing the day as the count down and
reminders went out each day for the big
event. After a weeks holiday to Melbourne
to celebrate with her family, she returned
with the addition of a rather large rock on
her hand. So it’s a double ‘congratulations’ to
Annie.
Now did you hear about the fire drill
evacuation when the Chief Fire Warden
(Yes Martin! I won’t name you) checked the
operations office for stragglers and then
checked the ladies amenities only to have
a door he pushed open come back and
hit him in the head… of course no one
was in the cubicle… the door just sprung
back… but like a good soldier he staggered
out to the evacuation area and completed
a head check… Incident and Investigation
reports all completed within timeframe. The
recommendation from the investigation was
to remove the offending door. Now there was
only one little problem with that!
I was fortunate to go on what some have
called a ‘Junket’ although I would consider it a
fact finding mission to the Adelaide and Perth
depots. Evidence of the one process, through
continuous improvement and other national
initiatives are coming to fruition. Although
we deal with individual depot idiosyncrasies
it was pleasing to see how these depots have
embraced the challenges as the company
grows.Yes, in my eyes (I’m not bias) Brisbane and
Gold Coast are still the stand out depots, but
the pride shown at Adelaide and Perth depots
reminds me we must remain improvement
focused to stay ahead of the pack.
The trip finished with a visit to the Margaret
River region to sample some of Australia’s
finest wines. Interestingly Margaret River only
produces 4% of the nation’s wines. I can assure
you with the help of Tracie Kachel every effort
was made to increase that production. Thanks
to my tour guide Tracey and to the teams in
Adelaide and Perth for their hospitality and
accepting any ideas/comments I had to offer.
Finally, I would like to wish Ron Crowe the very
best from everyone at the Brisbane and Gold
Coast depots as he heads towards retirement.
The support and guidance Ron has provided
to me and my colleagues has been invaluable.
Ron would be the first to remind everyone
Border Express’s success is the result of a
team effort, but without his leadership in the
Interstate division over the last 10 + years, I can
confidently say we wouldn’t be the company
we are today. Thank you Ron.
Barry Macnee
We all look forward to 2010 as we continue
to grow and grow and take a strong hold
on our competition and begin to lead the
way for service and everybody is looking
forward to moving into our brand new
depot in June 2010 :).
Damian Cristodero
Brisbane crew just before the start of the Melbourne Cup. Administration girls dressed up
for the day. By the look on Rick Calender’s (standing left) face he must have the inside word
from his former Victorian colleagues. Jeff Mann (next to Rick) trying to get a last minute
bet on with the bookies. And who is that ‘ring in’ from Albury, Fine Cotton perhaps?
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
15
‘Enjoy the festive cheer... without weight gain fear!’
CHRISTMAS CATCH-UPS, WORK
PARTIES, SUMMER BARBEQUES…
THE TEMPTATIONS TO OVERINDULGE
AT THIS TIME OF YEAR ARE ENDLESS!
4. Avoid pre-mixed drinks with added
sugar. These are excessively high in
kilojoules and sugar. For example, two
cans of an alcoholic beverage with
cola is the equivalent in kilojoules to
twenty seven squares of chocolate!
If you’ve found it hard to maintain
weight and stick to a healthy diet over
the Christmas holidays in the past you
are not alone. Overconsumption of those
‘sometimes’ foods and drinks is common
over Christmas. But this often comes at a
price… your health! The Smart Eating for
You team has some handy tips for you
and your family to help you stay healthy
over these ‘mouth watering’ months.
TIP: It is also important to be aware that
many other non-alcoholic beverages
can contribute to weight gain. Many
drinks contain extra kilojoules (energy)
so make water your number one choice.
Australia’s Healthy Weight Week
− coming soon!
Attending a party
Picture this… you’ve been invited to a
Christmas party where you know there
will be plenty of kilojoule-rich, high-fat
foods and the eskies will be packed full
of beer and wine. Not very conducive
to your healthy eating you suspect! Do
you give in and gorge on party pies and
cheese platters? No. Instead you follow
the five top Smart Eating tips below:
1. Stand away from the food − People
who stand closer to the food are more
likely to graze.
2. Eat something before you leave home
− If you arrive at a function hungry,
you’ll be more likely to overeat. Instead,
eat something healthy before you go
like low-fat yoghurt or a piece of fruit.
3. Listen to your stomach − Eat slowly and
stop when you are satisfied, not full.
4. Be picky with what you eat − Opt for
lightly dressed salads, or steamed or
roasted vegetables.
5. Limit or avoid deep fried finger foods
such as spring rolls, sausage rolls
and highly processed meats such as
sausages.
For ideas on planning a healthy barbeque
or picnic see Australia’s Healthy Weight
Week website under Events and
Activities.
Entree
Guacamole dip and low fat dips with
an array of colourful vegetable sticks
(carrot, broccoli, capsicum) and low-fat
crackers
Main
Grilled Chicken Salad with yoghurt
dressing with crusty wholemeal rolls.
(Note: Adjust quantities in recipe
depending on number of guests)
Dessert
Strawberry Creams or a fresh fruit salad
Smart Eating For You − developed by
Dietitian Association of Australia and
sponsored by Fonterra.
TIP: Try to opt for fruits and vegetables
in season as these are often more tasty
and cheaper.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a common accompaniment to
barbeques and get-togethers. But it is high
in kilojoules, which contributes to weight
gain. If consumed in large amounts it can
also take the place of nutritious foods,
impacting our health. So if you’re drinking,
keep your alcohol intake to no more than
two standard drinks on any day. This
applies for both men and women.
Planning a party
Tips when drinking alcohol:
You’ve been placed in charge of cooking
for your extended family. Last year the
menu consisted of sausages, creamy pasta
salads and sugary carbonated drinks. This
year, you dare to be different − and opt
for healthier choices which you know will
be better for you and your guests! For an
easy yet tasty meal for your guests, see
the following menu.
1. Alternate between an alcoholic drink
and plain or sparkling mineral water.
16
The key to achieving or maintaining a
healthy weight is making small changes
that fit into your lifestyle. Be a part of
the third annual Australia’s Healthy
Weight Week (AHWW), an initiative of
the Dietitians Association of Australia,
which will run from 24-31 January 2010.
Visit the AHWW website http://www.
healthyweightweek.com.au to learn more
about our ‘Take 10 in 2010’ campaign,
tips and hints, success stories and how to
become involved in the week.
2. If having a glass of wine, don’t fill it
to the top. Remember, one standard
drink equals 100mL (this is less than
half a cup). Otherwise, try a wine
spritzer with mineral or soda water.
3. Avoid snacks high in salt. Not only
have they been shown to contribute
to heart disease, they can also
make you thirsty − increasing your
likelihood of having another drink.
BORDER EXPRESS NEWS SUMMER 2009
Adelaide
(08) 8209 6300
Albury
(02) 6022 6000
Barnawartha (02) 6042 8800
Brisbane
(07) 3723 4800
Canberra
(02) 6123 3100
Clayton
(03) 9263 3700
Darwin
(08) 8947 2278
Gold Coast
(07) 5656 1500
Derrimut
(03) 8368 7200
Newcastle
(02) 4953 1095
Perth
(08) 9351 5900
Sydney
(02) 9732 7300
WEBSITE www.borderexpress.com.au
Any comments or feedback
contributions are welcome.
EMAIL [email protected]