Joe Kelly, 12 April 2016
Bill Shorten has left the door open on supporting a government push to defer new minimum pay rates for self-employed truck drivers who say it will force 35,000 small business owners to close down.
The Opposition Leader yesterday said he was prepared to reach a “sensible compromise” with the government about the “pace in which new overdue minimum conditions are rolled out” but slammed any push to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.
He defended the tribunal, saying that its ability to mandate higher pay rates for owner-drivers would improve safety outcomes.
“What you don’t do is … if you don’t like the decision, just abolish the whole system,” he said.
“When it comes to implementing the new order, then of course common sense can prevail … Labor is certainly up for sensible compromise about the pace at which the new minimum conditions are rolled out.”
The change in position from Mr Shorten comes in the wake of a fierce industry campaign against the new pay regime, a looming High Court challenge and preparations by owner-drivers for a protest convoy to Parliament House in Canberra.
Transport groups and small business organisations are warning that the higher pay rates imposed by the tribunal will force owner-drivers to charge more and price them out of the market.
The government already has the crossbench support to pass legislation deferring until next year the new minimum pay rates for owner-drivers but says it cannot muster the votes to abolish the tribunal that introduced the scheme.
Malcolm Turnbull yesterday seized on Mr Shorten’s willingness to compromise as a “colossal admission of fault on his part” for establishing the tribunal in 2012.
“What Mr Shorten’s got to decide is whether he is prepared to admit that this tribunal that he set up was nothing more than a membership recruitment exercise for the Transport Workers Union,” the Prime Minister said. “He’s got to recognise this tribunal he set up and has steadfastly supported is going to put tens of thousands of small Australian businesses, family businesses, out of business.”
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash defended the push to defer the new rates instead of moving to abolish the tribunal. Senator Cash told Sky News this approach would provide immediate relief to owner-drivers, while failed legislation to abolish the tribunal would help no one. “I need to deal in reality,” she said.
“We want to see it abolished. And that will be the position we take to the election.”
Nationals MPs have also called off plans to introduce their own legislation to abolish the tribunal after Queensland senator Barry O’Sullivan was unable to secure enough crossbench votes.
Extracted in full from The Australian.
