Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too come into this place to debate the motion before us. I do not come here looking through the eyes of a union official or a Labor Party apparatchik. This is about a heavy vehicle drivers licence, so I come from having some experience of driving trucks up and down the roads. I can say as a member of the coalition that nothing concerns me more than safety on our roads, particularly the safety of those people who drive trucks and keep this country going. The electorate of Parkes has the Newell Highway traversing it from one end to the other. It is one of the largest and busiest freight corridors in Australia, so I know only too well the important role that the transport industry has and also the importance of safety.

The member for Perth, I believe, is jumping the gun, probably in an attempt to gain a favour from her friends in the TWU. The coalition agreed before the election to a review of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal legislation, and as yet we are waiting for the result. I would suggest to the member for Perth that perhaps we wait and see what the review shows up, what recommendations come out of it, before we jump to too many conclusions in this place.

The idea of tying the salary of truck drivers to road safety is indeed a tenuous one. I have to say that some of the items that are in this year's budget, which has just been released, around black-spot funding and increased road funding through infrastructure will also play major roles in the safety of our truck drivers. As we continue the duplication of the Pacific Highway and upgrade the Bruce Highway—and indeed, in my own backyard, create more overtaking lanes and stopping bays, properly serviced resting bays for truck drivers—that will lead to greater outcomes in road safety.

Recent developments include revised health and safety laws, the introduction of modern awards, the Fair Work Commission and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. Where the legislation comes unstuck is that, when a transport operator picks up a load of cattle from a remote cattle station from, say, a part of my electorate or somewhere up in Queensland, a contract will be exchanged that goes through the Fair Work Commission. It is bureaucracy and the TWU getting their fingers on all levels of the operation. Former transport union employees have spoken against the tribunal, noting that there is 'barely a specific case study where a death is involved to support [the link between rates of pay] and safety'. Concerns have also been raised by those within the road transport industry that the work of the tribunal could overlap with and undermine other regulations and could impose onerous and unnecessary compliance burdens, as I just mentioned.

Consistent with our commitment, the government commissioned the review shortly after the election to be conducted by Mr Rex Deighton-Smith of Jaguar Consulting, who has 25 years of experience in public policy and whose expertise includes policy research and analysis, regulatory impact assessment, competition policy and stakeholder consultation. Mr Deighton-Smith also conducted research into safety in the road transport industry for the Rudd-Gillard government. The review is focused on eliminating duplication of regulation and ensuring that regulations and policies for improving safety performance in the road transport industry are based on credible evidence. The review involves the assessment of the regulatory and economic burden of the road safety and remuneration system on participants in the road transport industry and on the Australian economy generally; examination of whether other Commonwealth, state and territory regulations and initiatives provide a more appropriate means of improving safety outcomes in the road transport industry; examination of any available evidence about the impacts of the road safety remuneration system on improving road safety—for instance, accident data; assessment of the operation and conduct of the tribunal and the extent to which it has achieved its aims and objectives; and consultation with the relevant stakeholders where necessary. This motion is premature. There is a review underway and we should wait and see what it brings up.

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