WHEN confusion and apprehension precede the introduction of a new law, democracy has failed.
Owner-driver truckers are currently either confused, fearful or completely unaware of new laws that will change their lives and possibly threaten their business.
Just who is this law supposed to serve?
The most common refrains heard by correspondents of The Land have been “I don't know enough about it”, or “I don't know if it will affect me”.
This is not good enough and should be enough for any self-respecting law maker to pause and enter a process of education and assurance.
That these changes look set to hit small business means they will also hurt country towns, because preventing owner-operators from driving, or having family drive, will make it hard for some companies to stay afloat.
What’s worse is it looks like this is all for the sake of a political agenda, cooked up between the Transport Workers Union (TWU) and Julia Gillard during her time at Labor’s helm.
The reality is, the more non-owner drivers that are out there, the more potential members the TWU can attract – not a good look for the TWU, whether that was its agenda or not.
The campaign suggesting these drivers are a road hazard is an unfair swing, and if the TWU was genuine about road safety it would be pressuring our government to take a closer look at the national fatigue laws, rather than bringing in red tape that will unfairly shut operators down.
And if local, small carriers can’t afford to operate under these changes, who will handle the smaller loads off the main routes and across local areas?
These owner-drivers are filling niche gaps in the market larger operators reject, and in areas where there often isn’t the opportunity for back loads to help balance costs and keep rates down.
These truck owners also need to keep their trucks on the road to make them pay, and sacrificing their own time is often a cost effective way of doing so.
It is not as simple as employing more drivers, and if the next generation wants to get into the family business what are they now to do?
The TWU has pulled a sly move here and these changes need knocking on the head before they hurt our small businesses.