Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In the debate on the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill, Liberal and Nationals senators repeatedly referred to the needs of business to justify their low-wage agenda. If they're really on the side of business, they'll support the second closing loopholes bill when we return next year.

The road transport reforms are supported by every major road transport employer association in this country. I don't have the time to list them all, but I do want to call out the National Road Freighters Association, who supported the abolition of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal but support these reforms. Mark Reynolds, an owner-driver and a board member of the NRFA, said:

Our industry is in a desperate race to the bottom. … This legislation will play a vital role in establishing minimum standards for all and allowing the industry to become safe, viable and sustainable.

There it is in black and white. Owner-drivers, road transport employers, transport workers and unions are all on the same page, calling for life-saving reform.

It's the same in the gig economy, where Uber, Menulog and DoorDash have joined the TWU and gig workers in calling for life-saving reform. Utsav, a gig worker here in Canberra told us:

I work 40 to 60 hours every week, and sometimes even 80 hours, to make the basic survival payments to pay my bills.

…   …   …

I haven't slept more than four hours in two years.

That isn't safe. At least 14 gig workers are dead. At least 209 people have been killed in truck crashes in this year alone.

Everyone says there is a need for reform, except the greedy racketeers at the Minerals Council, who make a buck by squeezing the transport industry literally to death. In the new year, we'll see which businesses those opposite really represent.