Ministers Endorse Dedicated National Livestock Transport Driver Skill Set
News · October 23, 2026
State and federal skills ministers have approved a nationally recognised four-unit training package designed to establish a formal standard for livestock handling, transit welfare and heavy-vehicle driving.
State, territory and federal skills ministers have formally endorsed the TLISS00242 Livestock Transport Driver Skill Set, creating a unified national training benchmark for the road transport sector.
Approved on 12 October 2026 under Release 17.0 of the TLI Transport and Logistics Training Package, the project was initiated by the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA). It was developed in partnership with Industry Skills Australia (ISA)—the Jobs and Skills Council funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations—alongside an industry technical committee of subject matter experts.
Each year, road transport moves more than 14.9 million tonnes of livestock across Australia. Prior to this release, training units relevant to the sector were dispersed across separate national training packages in Agriculture, Meat Processing, and Transport and Logistics, which ISA noted had combined with trainer shortages to restrict industry access.
The nationally recognised skill set brings together four units of competency:
- Handle livestock using basic techniques
- TLID0026 Care for livestock in transit
- Apply low-risk heavy vehicle driving behaviours
- Follow work health and safety procedures
Under the package, the revised TLID0026 unit updates material covering stock handling, animal care during loading and unloading, transport documentation, and risk identification and control. The curriculum directly aligns with the Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines – Land Transport of Livestock, as well as National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) Regulatory Advice for Livestock Transport.
ALRTA President Gerard Johnson said the endorsement recognises the specialised demands placed on drivers operating across the livestock supply chain.
"This is a significant step in the professionalisation of our industry. It gives employers and drivers a clearer training benchmark and helps give the skills of livestock transporters the recognition they deserve," Johnson said.
"Australia's food security depends on being able to move livestock safely and reliably between farms, saleyards, feedlots and processors. Skilled livestock transporters are essential to keeping that system working."
ALRTA says the next step is making the endorsed training accessible to operators, particularly those in regional and remote Australia.
"The next priority is making the training accessible and useful for operators, including those in regional and remote Australia. Endorsement is an important milestone; the lasting benefit will come from putting it into practice," Johnson said.
Although the skill set has been endorsed, the official sources reviewed do not announce course start dates, fees or specific enrolment options. Industry Skills Australia says it is planning a second phase that may include training and assessment resources, flexible delivery methods for regional and remote operators, and support to build Registered Training Organisation (RTO) delivery capability.