Angela Welsh has been re-elected to ATA Council in the 2023 ATA election.

First elected in 2019, Angela Welsh represents small fleet operators on ATA Council, which sets the ATA’s policy direction.

Independent Returning Officer Phil Potterton declared the outcome of the election on 6 February 2023. Angela Welsh was re-elected unopposed as the small fleet representative.

No nominations were received for the owner driver position, which may now be filled by the ATA Council.

Background information

What are ATA elections about?

The ATA’s policy direction is set by its General Council, which includes two representatives elected by owner drivers and small fleet operators. The owner driver member represents those in the trucking industry who own, are purchasing, or are leasing one truck and who drive it. The small fleet member represents those in the trucking industry who own, are purchasing, or are leasing between two to five trucks. 

These members hold office for two years.   

What do the positions involve?

The owner driver and small fleet members are entitled to attend and vote at ATA Council meetings which are held about four times a year, generally in Canberra.  The ATA meets their agreed accommodation and travel expenses for Council business.

The members can also join in the work of the ATA’s policy committees, which meet by video conference.

Can I vote in ATA elections?

To register to vote in ATA elections, you must own, be purchasing or leasing 1-5 trucks over 4.5 tonnes, including as a director of a company, a shareholder of a company, a trustee of a trust or a beneficiary of a trust.

You will also need to provide a valid ABN and an email address that is not used by any other person seeking to register to vote.

You do not need to be in an ATA member association to vote, and can choose to vote for both representative positions or just one.

Registering to vote is free. 

Can I nominate for one of the positions?

Under the ATA election regulations, candidates for the single truck owner driver position must be:

• a person (including directors and/or shareholders of a company and trustees and beneficiaries of a trust) who owns, is purchasing or leasing one truck over 4.5 tonnes and drives it
• registered as a voter for ATA elections
• a member of an ATA member association.

Candidates for the small fleet operator position must be:

• a person (including directors and/or shareholders of a company and trustees and beneficiaries of a trust) who owns, is purchasing or leasing 2-5 trucks over 4.5 tonnes
• registered as a voter for ATA elections
• a member of an ATA member association.

How is the election conducted?

The ATA’s Independent Returning Officer conducts the election online, if more than one eligible candidate nominates for a position.

Registered voters receive an email with a unique voting key and a secure link to an online election service, electionbuddy.com. This service has now been used for more than 30,000 elections. In Australia, it is used by the NSW Government for some applications and the Property Council of Australia. The ATA has also used the service for voting within its Industry Technical Council.

Voting is open for 21 days and the secrecy of voter choices will be protected by the online voting system, conducted using optional preferential voting. Voters can choose to vote for one candidate, or vote for some of the candidates, or vote for all of the candidates on the ballot paper, in the order of their preference.

To vote for one candidate, voters place a (1) in the box by the name of their preferred candidate.

To vote for some or all candidates, voters place a (1) in the box of their preferred candidate, and then number some or all of the remaining boxes in the order of their preference.

Optional preferential voting is used in NSW state elections, Queensland local government elections, and versions of the system are used in the ACT, Tasmania and Senate elections. Optional preferential gives voters choice about whether or not they wish to vote for more than one candidate, with the winning candidate needing the support of more than half of all voters. The ATA election regulations were amended in 2019 to include optional preferential voting.

What is the 2023 election timetable?

Is more information about the election available?

ATA election regulations

Appointment of the Independent Returning Officer