The Australian Logistics Council provided a submission to Industry Skills Australia in response to the Draft 2026 Workforce Planning Update. The paper highlights that workforce shortages in freight transport and logistics are now a binding constraint on national productivity, supply chain performance, and cost-of-living outcomes. ALC supports the direction of the Update but identifies a growing misalignment between projected freight demand and workforce capacity. With Australia’s freight task expected to grow significantly to 2050, the submission argues that current workforce planning does not adequately reflect system-wide pressures. ALC recommends aligning workforce modelling with freight demand, prioritising critical operational roles, and shifting training towards work-ready capability. It also calls for workforce planning to recognise interdependencies across the supply chain, support technological transition, and integrate with infrastructure and land use policy.
The submission emphasises that workforce capability is central to freight system performance, resilience, and efficiency, and calls for a shift from consultation to implementation.