Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator O'Sullivan not only for his question but also for his keen passion for ensuring that owner-drivers are doing what they do best—being out on the roads working.

It is a fact that truck drivers are the lifeblood of the Australian economy. In fact, the road freight transport industry employs around 200,000 people. Any threat to this industry will have large flow-on effects ultimately to consumers. Tens of thousands of owner-truck drivers—many, we know, have taken out mortgages to buy their trucks—were being driven out of business by Mr Shorten's Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal. Last night, as we know, we on this side of the chamber, with a number of the crossbenchers, ensured that these owner-drivers get back onto the road by passing a bill to abolish this shonky deal that was done between Bill Shorten, the TWU and former prime minister Julia Gillard.

I am pleased to advise the Senate that this morning the bill received royal assent. This means that the tribunal and its devastating pay order will cease to exist from midnight on 21 April. I say on behalf of the government to owner-drivers: as small business owners, you are the backbone of the Australian economy. We back you and we want to see you succeed. Unlike those on the other side, we want to see you back in business. I received a text this morning from an owner-driver, Gordo. He delivered his last load almost two weeks ago and his truck has been parked up as a result of Labor's RSRT. This is the text he sent me this morning: 'Thanks, I start my old job back tomorrow.' That is what we do: we put people into business. You put them out of business.