Industry News

We did not come this far to stop now

2024 was a massive year for the road transport industry which saw groundbreaking road transport reform legislation delivered by the Albanese Labor Government.

After a 20-year fight to deliver these much needed reforms, which also unified the road transport industry in a way that has never been seen before, 2025 needs to be the year that we build on that unity and success, ensure these wins are protected and continue the fight to deliver more outcomes for the industry with solutions from industry.

Labor’s transport reforms are delivering incredible outcomes for the road transport industry including:

• Regulating and setting standards in the gig economy to stop the race to the bottom in parcel delivery;

• Delivering client accountability to ensure fair rates for all transport companies in the supply chain; and

• Establishing a Road Transport Advisory Group in the Fair Work Commission to specialise in transport industry matters and ensure fairness, safety and sustainability for all transport operators and transport workers.

We know that the Opposition under Peter Dutton, Bridget McKenzie and Michaelia Cash have already pledged to reverse these important reforms. Unsurprisingly though, they have not committed to putting in any alternative policies or plans to support the road transport industry.

That is why the road transport industry must keep united and steadfast in their asks of all governments. If the road transport industry remains united in these asks and locked in on the solutions they believe will best support the ongoing productivity, safety and viability of the road transport industry, it becomes increasingly difficult for governments, regardless of colour, to ignore them.

So where to from here.

State and territory governments around this great nation must be in lock step with the Commonwealth government on addressing the low hanging fruit that continue to act as a handbrake on safety, productivity and advancement for the road transport industry.

We need political champions for the road transport industry who are prepared to engage with industry on how to address these issues instead of politicians who only listen to government bodies like the National Transport Commission who, with respect, do not have the answers.

We’ve already seen great work in South Australia by Minister Tom Koutsantonis through his groundbreaking changes to the heavy vehicle licensing of drivers from overseas.

We don’t need any more reviews, we don’t need think tanks, we don’t need more studies.

We just need industry at the table so that industry voices and industry solutions are heard by governments who then implement those ideas.

At present, the Infrastructure and Transport Ministers’ Meetings (ITMM) provide an opportunity for transport and infrastructure ministers from around the country to get together and collaborate on issues of national importance. My question is, could that be done better? That collaboration could only be strengthened by having people around the table who actually know what they are talking about when we are discussing how to get freight from A to B, who have experience running a transport business and who have experience behind the wheel of a truck.

Through the passage of the groundbreaking road transport reform and the journey it took to get to that point, the road transport industry has shown that when it gets together, it is an extremely formidable, experienced and knowledgeable force.

Recent commentary and articles from across a number of different trade and transport magazines has also shown that the industry is united in calling for what items need to be addressed next in order to keep productivity moving and the transport industry safe, viable, efficient and also profitable.

Fit for purpose training, apprenticeships, licencing, recruitment and retention.

These are the issues that need to be addressed urgently.

We’ve been told for decades that the transport task doubles every 15-20 years. So why the hell are we struggling to find workers? I’ll tell you why – it’s because all major decisions that impact the industry’s ability to address the low hanging fruit which I mentioned above, are being made without clear, concise input and collaboration from drivers and the transport industry.

One issue that I believe should be advanced as soon as possible is giving 16-year-olds practical experience behind the wheel of a forklift. If 16-year-olds can learn to drive a car or fly a plane, why can’t they learn how to operate a forklift in a safe environment by a qualified trainer through a structured and accredited program, recognised by government? If there is the will from the transport industry, governments should support and provide the way.

If transport operators see training our young ones on how to operate a forklift as a realistic pathway to a future career in the road transport industry, whether that be in the warehouse, in management or behind the wheel of a truck, then governments need to support industry to try and make it work instead of finding every reason under the sun as to why it shouldn’t.

This to me is a no-brainer and there is no safety argument that could convince me why this can’t be done.

I’m pleading with governments, let’s work together, consult and listen with industry. Ignore those who don’t have any practical experience and don’t want this to happen simply because of red tape or because it falls in the too hard basket.

The road transport industry knows what needs to be done.

We just need to give industry the chance to do it.

And finally a huge shout out to BP and Healthy Heads in Trucks and Sheds for their free Christmas dinners for truckies initiative introduced over the last festive season!

Glenn Sterle is a WA Labor Senator and former truckie 

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