The closing loopholes bill will deliver fairer contracts for all trucking businesses, the Chair of the Australian Trucking Association, David Smith, said today.
Mr Smith was commenting on the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023, which the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Tony Burke, introduced into Parliament today.
Mr Smith said the bill and future regulations would enable the Fair Work Commission to issue two new orders. Road transport minimum standards orders would apply to owner drivers and similar small trucking businesses. Road transport industry contractual chain orders could apply to the whole contract chain.
“One of the ATA’s objectives in our discussions with the Government was to avoid a repeat of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal’s decision to set minimum rates for owner drivers that were too high for the industry to pay,” Mr Smith said.
“The result was that prime contractors and industry customers chose to move their freight in other ways.
“Under this bill, the commission would be required to avoid unreasonable adverse impacts on sustainable competition and compliance costs. The commission would also be required to have regard to the commercial realities of the road transport industry and that owner drivers have chosen to be contractors not employees.
“The commission’s potential power to make contractual chain orders could enable it to stamp out unfair contract terms including excessively long payment times, unfair rate review and fuel levy clauses, and one-way terminations for convenience.
“The bill would also allow the commission to hear unfair contract and termination cases from owner drivers and other small road transport contractors. The minister would be able to make a Road Transport Industry Termination Code to guide businesses. The commission’s powers to resolve unfair contract disputes would be subject to a high income threshold.”
The Australian Trucking Association has named three exceptional workshop professionals as the finalists for its 2023 Craig Roseneder Award. The award recognises technical and maintenance excellence in the trucking industry’s workshops.
Christopher Hall (Wickham Freight Lines, Warwick, QLD), John Jenkin (Tatiara Truck and Trailers, Bordertown, SA) and Shane Pendergast (Air Brake Systems, Hornsby, NSW) were selected as finalists.
“Since 1998, the Craig Roseneder Award has honoured the professionalism and commitment of the men and women who work behind the scenes in Australia’s trucking workshops,” ATA Chair David Smith said.
“Christopher, John and Shane have demonstrated over the years that they have superb technical skills and great dedication to our industry,” he said.
Proudly sponsored by Castrol Vecton, the award winner will receive a fully paid trip to the US to attend a US Technology and Maintenance Council Annual Meeting and Transportation Technology Exhibition including full registration, return airfares and accommodation, and AUD $1,500 spending money.
The winner will also receive complimentary registration to the 2024 Australian Trucking Association Technology and Maintenance Conference.
The winner of the 2023 Craig Roseneder Award will be announced on Tuesday 17 October at the Castrol Vecton Awards Dinner, to be held at the Marvel Stadium, Melbourne, as part of the 2023 Technology and Maintenance Conference.
Details of the 2023 Craig Roseneder Award finalists are below.
2023 CRAIG ROSENEDER AWARD FINALISTS
Christopher Hall, Wickham Freight Lines, Warwick, QLD
With a long career in the mechanical and maintenance industry, Chris’s journey began in the heavy vehicle sector in New Zealand. In 2010, he made his mark in Australia, becoming an integral part of the Wickham Freight team, where he has remained ever since.
Chris is celebrated for his extensive expertise, approachable demeanour, and unwavering support for junior apprentices and fellow mechanics.
Chris’s accomplishments include the successful reconstruction of Wickham’s initial factory-acquired trucks (C500 and C600), which recently won the coveted title in the Best Fleet category at the Casino Truck Show.
Additionally, he has completed 15 Euro V engine conversions, resulting in substantial savings for the company in terms of write-downs.
John Jenkin, Tatiara Truck and Trailers, Bordertown, SA
John Jenkin and his partner co-founded Tatiara Truck and Trailers four decades ago. Today, it is a reputable and diverse Australian workshop with 60 employees.
The business is recognised for attracting major dealerships like Cat, Cummins, Detroit, Perkins, Volvo, and Scania, and they serve as a Kenworth sub-dealer. The Tatiara team’s expertise includes general servicing, engine and gearbox work to brake overhauls, wheel alignments, engineering, tire services, and a 24-hour breakdown service covering a 400km radius.
John’s commitment to his hometown includes building a purpose-built training facility in collaboration with local schools, RTOs, and government bodies to create job opportunities for local youth.
Shane Pendergast, Air Brake Systems, Hornsby NSW
Shane Pendergast is the NSW EBS service manager and national EBS training manager at Air Brake Systems, one of Australia’s largest suppliers of brake system components for heavy duty trucks, buses and trailers.
Shane has 39 years of trade experience in trucks, trailers, earthmoving, fleets and as a workshop manager, including seven years as an EBS/RSC maintenance support specialist. His goal is to inform the transport industry about the importance of functioning EBS/ABS/RSC systems.