Queensland Ministerial Freight Council

The Queensland Government is committed to ensuring our transport system is capable of moving freight efficiently and safely to benefit our economy and community.

Freight plays a vital role in Queensland’s growth and our livelihoods. As our economy and population grow, the timely and reliable movement of goods is essential to regional development and productivity across all sectors.

The Queensland Ministerial Freight Council is an advisory and consultative body focused on freight, supply chain, and industry development across the state.

Chaired by the Minister for Transport and Main Roads, with the Assistant Minister for Primary Industry Development, Water and Western Queensland serving as Deputy Chair, the Council brings together industry leaders to advise government on current freight challenges and opportunities. It strengthens strong partnerships between government and industry and promotes a coordinated approach to managing Queensland’s growing freight task.

Queensland Ministerial Freight Council members

Dr Hermione Parsons — Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Australian Logistics Council

Hermione is the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the Australian Logistics Council and a supply chain and freight logistics specialist with executive management experience in public and private sector organisations. Hermione’s career has focused on end-to-end supply chain systems, strategy and problem-solving in metropolitan, regional and international markets.

Hermione founded and led an acclaimed university research and development centre across two universities working to solve the systemic and emerging challenges facing industry. Hermione is currently a member of the New South Wales Freight Reform Panel, the National Fuel Council and the New South Wales, Queensland and Northern Territory Ministerial Freight Councils - with significant non-executive director board experience. 

Caroline Wilkie — Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Railway Association

Caroline commenced as the Chief Executive Officer of the Australasian Railway Association (ARA) in February 2020. Caroline brings extensive policy and advocacy experience to the ARA, with a track record of working with government and industry to deliver nation-building infrastructure investment and critical transport networks connecting urban and regional communities.

Caroline served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Airports Association for over nine years. With a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Sydney and a background in Communications and Public Relations, Caroline was appointed National Manager of the Tourism and Transport Forum in 2003. Caroline continues to develop the ARA’s strong focus on safety, regulation, skills development and the implementation of new technologies within the rail industry as well as defining a new future agenda on behalf of ARA members and the rail industry.

Andrew Harding — Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Aurizon

Andrew was appointed Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Aurizon in December 2016. Andrew has more than 30 years’ experience across the resource and rail sectors, as a leader committed to creating sustainable, productive businesses that make meaningful contributions to the community. He has led initiatives to leverage Aurizon’s core expertise in heavy haulage and rail infrastructure and to drive improved safety and operational performance. 

Andrew champions the role of rail in decarbonising the nation’s supply chains, leveraging the environmental, safety and productivity benefits of rail freight for economic and community benefit. Prior to starting with Aurizon, Andrew was the global Chief Executive of Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore business with responsibility for managing supply chains for the world’s largest integrated portfolio of iron ore assets. 

Gary Mahon — Chief Executive Officer, Queensland Trucking Association 

Gary is the Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Trucking Association. He has a reputation as a trusted navigator in the transport industry and combined with his open engagement style, makes him a strong advocate for facilitating innovative changes for the road freight industry in Queensland and Nationally. A large part of Gary’s career has been in and around the Road Freight Industry, including holding senior executive positions within the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads and Emergency Services. 

Gary has influenced Heavy Vehicle Industry reform and has led reform of the Queensland Disaster Management Act 2003, the Australian Road Laws, the introduction of (Performance Based Standard) High Productivity Multi-Combination vehicles into Queensland from 1998 and the introduction of the 50km per hour speed limit in residential areas. The recent announcements of both Federal and State Governments to fund the Inland Freight Route is a key example of his advocacy. 

David Stout — Director, Policy, National Retail Association 

As Director of the Policy team, David draws on more than 32 years’ direct retail industry experience, including in key management positions, to understand the challenges confronting retailers and clients to help them develop solutions. 

David is a highly respected senior executive across a wide range of retail sectors including corporate affairs, operations, customer insights, finance, procurement, risk and regulation, stakeholder engagement, community and supply chain. He is favourably regarded as a bipartisan and ethical operative in best practice across retail and corporate industry, regional and urban councils, state and local governments and is currently involved in multiple advisory groups/committees.

Nicole Rosie — Chief Executive Officer, National Heavy Vehicle Regulator 

Nicole is an experienced executive with over 20-years’ experience in Chief Executive Officer and senior management roles across the public and private sector.

Most recently, Nicole was the Chief Executive Officer of New Zealand (NZ) Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, her experience also includes three years as Chief Executive Officer of Worksafe NZ (NZ National Health and Safety Regulator) and senior executive roles in Fonterra, KiwiRail/Toll NZ, Vector and Fletcher Challenge Forests. Over her five-year period in the NZ Transport Agency role, NZ had significant changes in transport priorities with three government policy statements on transport (the government’s 10-year strategy documents) and significant pivots in transport priorities. 

Jared Seiler — President, Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland Inc.

Jared brings extensive experience to the role, having grown up in the livestock transport industry and now managing director of Seiler’s Transport, a family business operating 19 trucks, transporting livestock across Queensland and Northern New South Wales.

Jared’s longstanding commitment to industry advocacy includes serving as South East Queensland Delegate for Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Queensland, the Queensland representative on Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association’s Driver and Animal Welfare Committee and contributing to national discussions on Chain of Responsibility and animal welfare accreditation. 

Brendan Webb — Chair, Queensland Ports Association

Brendan is a seasoned Chief Executive Officer with 20+ years of leadership in transport, logistics, engineering, mining, and maritime sectors. He joined North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation Limited (NQBP) as Chief Executive Officer in October 2023, leading the strategic direction and operations of Hay Point, Mackay, Abbot Point, and Weipa, and was appointed Chair of Queensland Ports Association in January 2025. 

Previously, Brendan was Chief Executive Officer of Ports Victoria (Jan 2022 - Oct 2023), where he led the merger of Victorian Regional Channels Authority and Victorian Ports Corporation Melbourne, delivering transformational change. From 2017 to 2022, he served NQBP as General Manager Trade and Marine Operations and Acting Chief Executive Officer, with earlier roles in heavy haulage and mining support. 

Tom Jensen — General Manager Freight Policy and Operations, Freight and Trade Alliance

Tom represents the Freight and Trade Alliance and the Australian Peak Shippers Association, Australia’s representative and leading peak body for international freight forwarders, customs brokers, importers, exporters, and logistics providers. With 30 years of experience across the logistics and supply chain sector, Tom has held senior roles spanning international freight forwarding, transport operations, and policy advocacy. 

In his current role, Tom leads national engagement with government and industry on freight reform, trade facilitation, and landside logistics efficiency, ensuring the collective voice of cargo owners and logistics providers is reflected in regulatory and policy development. His work is focused on building a competitive, sustainable, and resilient freight and trade environment for Australia.