MP Acknowledges Industry’s Woes as Truck Strike Fails
A nationwide truck strike backed by two Queensland based industry groups which started back in late July, failed a matter of days later amongst a disjointed industry and internal and external pressure not to proceed.
According to the Australian Trucking Association, a group not supporting industrial action, the strike failed because "Australia’s truck drivers recognised that going on strike would not fix the issues facing our industry," but that there was "enormous frustration" lingering within the industry.
Responding to enquiries from Freightscene.com, the Federal Member for Forrest, Ms Nola Marino MP, remarked that the industry faces numerous challenges on several fronts going forward, and that fuel costs, impending legislation as well as a skills shortage would all provide challenges that need to be addressed.
One of the biggest concerns that the Federal Member expressed is that small and family based businesses within the trucking industry face ruin as they, unlike some of the larger transport companies, are unable to pass on the increasing costs.
Ms Marino also noted that as truck transport is the major means by which both perishable and non-perishable domestic freight is transported within Australia and particularly Western Australia, and that the future and viability of the industry should be considered by government.
Ms Marino, in a speech to Australia’s Parliament earlier this year outlined how impending legislation by the Labor Government would see charges on the trucking industry raised, as well as penalising highly productive multicombination vehicles, a situation that would harm the industry as operators would face disincentive to operate the more efficient multicombination vehicles and in effect require additional trucks on the nations roads to carry less goods.
Source: Ms Nola Marino MP and the Australian Trucking Association With thanks to Nola Marino