[Greens-Media] Road saftey the first casualty [formatted]

[Twomey, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

[my apologies - the list server stripped all the formatting]

Senator Rachel Siewert
Australian Greens Senator for WA

Tuesday, 16 August 2005

Road safety the first casualty as independent truckies pushed to the
wall.

"I am extremely concerned for the plight of owner-operators," said
Senator Siewert, Greens spokesperson on Industrial Relations, welcoming
the 'Convoy to Canberra' at a rally outside Parliament House this
afternoon. 

"The Government has been talking up its concerns for small business, but
the reality is that these changes will see many independent contractors
going under"
 
The convoy of independent truck drivers travelled from Sydney to
highlight their concerns about the impacts of changes to the Trade
Practices Act, particularly on safety standards in road transport.

"Owner-drivers with no safety net and no protection of conditions will
end up pushing safety in order to be able to keep putting food on the
family table," said Senator Siewert

"Less money for maintenance and longer hours on the road are a recipe
for carnage, and ultimately the community will bear the cost"

"Around Australia there is increasing community support for more
regulation and improved safety in road transport, not less"

"These hard-working truckies are the life-blood of our transport
industry, but already they are struggling to cover costs," she said,
"They pay for their on-road costs up front and are already being
squeezed by companies deliberately delaying payments to improve their
bottom-line". 

 "Yet again Australian families are being put at risk in the service of
the Government's hard-line IR ideology" said Senator Siewert "And now
our road safety is also being left by the wayside"

For more information or comment call Chris Twomey 0407 725 025
Email senator.siewert at aph.gov.au  |  http://www.rachelsiewert.org.au