Hawkins Transport grounded by regulator, threatening freight to remote Queensland towns

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator imposed a prohibition on Hawkins Transport, grounding its entire fleet of 70 road-trains that deliver cattle and roughly 60 pallets of groceries weekly to remote Indigenous communities such as Kowanyama and Doomadgee in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The regulator cited a pattern of non-compliance, including oil leaks and worn tyres, deeming the operation an imminent safety risk. Hawkins Transport, based in Normanton, estimates the shutdown is costing the business about half a million dollars per one outlet and could force drastic measures if not resolved within weeks.

The suspension threatens to push freight rates higher, potentially inflating food prices for residents already facing unemployment. Owner Bradley Hawkins plans to request a stay of the prohibition in the Brisbane Supreme Court tomorrow, while the company must transport its vehicles 500 kilometres to Mount Isa for mandatory inspections. Local officials warn the disruption could make essential goods unaffordable for the region’s most vulnerable people.