Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Vocational Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Every day, across this nation, thousands of truck drivers go to work on the roads that run through our communities—roads that they share with our families, our communities and people either working or taking the time to do social activities using our roads. The reality for too many of those drivers for too long has been that the unconscionable pressure put upon them to do hours that are beyond what is reasonable in order just to make a living is completely unacceptable.

For 20 years the Transport Workers Union, in partnership with its members, in partnership with communities around our nation and in partnership with some very brave victims who had lost family members as a result of truck accidents, have campaigned, under the Safe Rates campaign, to call on governments to take responsibility for ensuring we maximise the safety of the roads in our communities.

As a result of that campaign, in 2012 the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal was established. It was established to do exactly that job. The current Abbott government has had a review. It has been sitting on it since April. It owes it to those truck drivers, their families, our communities and all road users to guarantee the continuation of the tribunal and release that report. (Time expired)