Road Transport Industry

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (16:25): Australia's road transport industry is the lifeblood of the nation. From the paddock to the plate, the sector is responsible for feeding the mouths of millions of Australians every day and delivering other critical goods and services. However, the industry is in crisis, with an influx of overseas and/or inexperienced truck drivers risking the lives of innocent people on Australian roads. That is why I am calling for a major nationwide police and heavy vehicle regulator blitz to stamp out an increase in the number of rogue transport operators using inexperienced truck drivers—many from overseas—to deliver goods across the country.

In recent weeks I have had a number of the trucking industry and long-haul drivers reporting dangerous driving by inexperienced and unlicensed drivers, some of whom have been caught using the same duplicated licences. It is now the single most talked about issue and the number one safety concern of the trucking industry in Australia. So much is the concern that Austroads—the association of the Australian and New Zealand transport agencies, representing all levels of government—recently invited the heavy vehicle industry to share its views on the management of overseas licensed heavy vehicle drivers as part of a new survey.

In a statement, the organisers said that the anonymous online survey was a 'response to industry concerns and recognising the differences between driving in Australia and overseas'. Yet, in a move that beggars belief, Australia's transport ministers earlier this month agreed to the National Transport Commission's recommendations for longer and heavier trucks—seriously, if you have seen some of the roads in our state and elsewhere.

What is needed is for every state government to act on the industry's recommendations for a uniform national driver licensing scheme and a heavy vehicle licensing scheme to stamp out the cowboy operators exploiting licence loopholes by bringing in unqualified drivers from overseas countries like India to drive double and triple road trains. Drivers can work here for three months by virtue of an archaic international licence convention allowing foreigners to drive any type of vehicle on our roads.

There have also been instances where multiple drivers in trucks were caught using the same licence. What is worse is that there are drivers unable to speak or read English and with no experience on our roads who can easily get a licence to drive B-doubles in days by travelling to Queensland, where licensing requirements are quite loose. There is such inconsistent implementation of regulations around the country.

State governments have taken their eyes off our roads and are allowing rogue operators to thrive and make a quick buck. I have been told about 30 under-qualified heavy vehicle drivers in South Australia who were recently identified as going through the Queensland scheme just to get their licence. These reckless individuals are putting lives at risk, not just their own but those of innocent, law-abiding road users who are totally oblivious to the potential dangers.

They have been involved in serious accidents causing death and injury. I have seen disturbing dash cam footage of near misses, including a recent one where a B-double narrowly avoids a head-on crash with a passenger vehicle while overtaking a triple road train on a country road. Experienced long haul drivers are saying they fear travelling on the east to west routes because of the dangerous actions they have witnessed by some truck drivers.

In one recent frightening incident on the Stuart Highway near Port Augusta in the early hours, a trailer with a loaded container uncoupled from a B-triple, flipped and blocked the road. The driver allegedly failed to stop, continuing down the road, dragging along another trailer upside down before unhitching his prime mover, abandoning the remaining load in a dangerous position by the side of the road, and then fleeing the scene. I am told the driver presented himself to police a few days later. Luckily, a passing motorist raised the alarm.

There needs to a nationwide road safety and compliance blitz as a matter of urgency to catch these fly-by-nighters and put them off our roads before more people are killed or seriously injured. I fully support the push by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and industry groups like the South Australian Road Transport Association for greater oversight, including compulsory licensing standards and uniform road laws covering heavy vehicle operators and their drivers.