Glenn Sterle (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

While we are talking about Senator Murray’s amendments, I am happy to report, for those listening who are not quite sure what is expected to go through the Western Australian parliament, that the road freight transport industry contracts and disputes bill went through the lower house yesterday and it is headed off to the upper house there. I would like to touch base on what the bill is about. I will not take up all the time in the chamber. I did say how it was done in conjunction with both sides of industry and the support of the government, so there was no-one forced into it. I must also note that it represents a heck of a lot more truck drivers than the 2,000 owner-drivers that are being represented by the TWU and the 700 companies who engage owner-drivers in Western Australia. That figure could be anything—who knows?

The road freight bill will provide owner-drivers with security of payment. It will require principal contractors to pay owner-drivers a safe, sustainable rate, enabling them to operate safely. It will also—and this is very important—establish a road freight transport industry council, which will establish a code of conduct, including guideline rates and other provisions regulating the relationship between the parties. And it will create—and this is another very important part of the bill—a low-cost conciliation focused road freight transport industry tribunal to hear disputes between the parties regarding breaches of contracts, codes of conduct and payments. It will also allow owner-drivers to appoint bargaining agents, and they can be either union or non-union. That is spelt out very clearly in the bill. It can even include an industry body. That shows how much good faith has been put into the road freight bill in Western Australia by the industry with the support of the Labor government.

In summary, what is so important about the bill in Western Australia and to Western Australians, particularly those engaged in the transport industry in Western Australia, is that it will help avoid disputation and disruption to commerce in Western Australia. Together with other laws to be introduced into WA, such as the chain of responsibility legislation, it will reduce road trauma and the WA road toll, which is currently being impacted upon by road crashes involving heavy vehicles. It will enable thousands of struggling WA small owner-driver businesses to become financially sustainable, viable and safe operations.

Minister, I note that you did answer my query about the minister you are representing in this chamber saying that there will be a review in 2007. I also note that we know of one person who has been paid a substantial amount of money to provide information and be the face for the Independent Contractors of Australia—whoever the heck they are. There are no other names around; I think there is a Liberal Party candidate for a seat in South Australia or something like that—I am not sure. I have just heard things, and you will probably correct me if I am wrong. But these people are to pull their support of the bill should the exemption clause be left in there. That has been made very clear. I know that Mr Wilson Tuckey, the member for O’Connor in the other place, has been very busy trying to remove the exemption. So, Minister, on that, could you inform me—and who knows what is going on in your party room in between punches—