In a submission to the Fair Work Commission (FWC), the ATA has supported the principle of making a road transport contractual chain order to address the financial pressure caused by extended payment terms and low contract rates.
The TWU applied for the order in 2024; the FWC has designated it as application MS2024/4.
The ATA submission agrees that maximum 30-day payment terms are necessary to protect businesses, particularly small operators and owner-drivers.
The submission supports annual rate reviews but calls for more frequent reviews of fuel costs and for government charges and tolls to be explicitly considered.
Overall, the ATA’s submission seeks practical, balanced reforms that improve payment fairness without creating unintended consequences.