Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

You have, Senator Sterle. Senator Sterle has touched a nerve with his interjection. This constant denigration of small businesspeople by the likes of Senator Sterle does get under my skin because I have no difficulty in seeking to champion their cause and no difficulty in championing the cause of the Post Office Agents Association which was outlined in their submission to the House inquiry. They stated, 'It seems unlikely that the bill would improve road safety for mail contractors.' And yet they could well be caught by this bill. What a ridiculous situation to observe: mail contractors are now in the same situation as the long haulage truck drivers.

We as a coalition believe that there is an alternative. The coalition is in favour of a multifaceted, holistic approach to improving road safety in the heavy vehicle industry. This will include better roads, awareness programs, education initiatives, industry codes of conduct, building more rest stops and passing lanes, and looking at ways to use technologies to improve road safety. The New South Wales branch of the ATA noted in their submission to the House inquiry that mandatory safe driving plans for long haul drivers, GPS tracking devices, full compliance with work health and safety regulations and fatigue and speed laws, as well as the adoption of suitable industry codes of practice, are the best ways of delivering enhanced safety and fairness across the road transport industry.

The Australian Logistics Council also notes the success of voluntary industry codes and the national chain of responsibility and fatigue management requirements that will be contained in the NHVR. The coalition in principle supports all of those initiatives and sees them as a more viable way of improving road safety in the heavy vehicle industry. The coalition opposes these bills, realising that the bills, while dressed up as road safety bills, are in fact another grab for power by trade union bosses. (Time expired)