Australian transport company owner and passionate mental health ambassador Craig Membrey will be the keynote speaker at the Road Transport Forum‘s annual conference in September.

“We are thrilled to announce that Craig Membrey will headline the conference,” says RTF chief executive Nick Leggett. “In addition to being born into trucking and running a successful business, he dedicates time to being an Ambassador for Beyond Blue, a not-for-profit organisation that helps people with depression and anxiety.

 “Sadly, Craig‘s experience comes first-hand as he tragically lost his son Rowan in 2011 at the age of 17. The road transport industry is no different from any other sector in New Zealand and anxiety and depression are issues we all need to understand and know how to manage.”

 Membrey, who is based in Dandenong, near Melbourne, started out in his father Jack‘s yard before stepping in to help run the family business in 1988. He increased the fleet and quickly developed the motto ‘Anything, Anywhere, Anytime‘.

“Our industry will really benefit from Craig‘s experience, energy and attitude,” says Leggett.

 “He heads a great line-up of speakers at the conference, including Transport Minister Phil Twyford; Economic Development and Infrastructure Minister Shane Jones; economist Cameron Bagrie; health and wellbeing expert Dr Tom Mulholland; Busy Brain analyst Dr Lucia Kelleher, who brings a safety focus; Paul McKay on employment law; Melanie Boyle on the future workforce; and Margaret Kouvelis on changing your business to suit young workers.”

Leggett says the conference is an important opportunity for the industry to get together in one place for both formal and informal discussions about opportunities and concerns.

The Road Transport Forum Annual Conference, run by RTANZ Region 2 and CARTA, will be held at Wairakei Resort, near Taupo, on 24 and 25 September 2019.

 Membrey will speak at 9.30am on Tuesday, 24 September. Information about the conference can be found at www.rtfconference.co.nz