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Govt releases schedule of RSRT review forums

The consultations will discuss the findings of the review reports and reform of the RSRS

 

The Department of Employment has announced its schedule for the consultation forums aimed at discussing policy reforms related to the Road Safety Remuneration System (RSRS) with industry participants, including owner-drivers, union and other stakeholders.

The two-hour forums will be held at various locations around Australia starting April 11.

While these are free events, seats are strictly limited, with some venues already booked to capacity.

Anyone interested in participating in these discussions must register through the Department of Employment website.

Here’s the schedule:

Perth – Monday April 11, 9.00am – 11.00am

Bunbury – Monday April 11, 3.00pm – 5.00pm

Adelaide – Tuesday April 12, 2.00pm – 4.00pm

Mount Gambier (SA) – Wednesday April 13, 10.00am – 12.00pm

Albury-Wodonga (VIC/NSW) – Thursday April 14, 11.00am – 1.00pm

Gatton (Qld) – Thursday April 14, 11.00am – 1.00pm

Campbell Town (Tas) – Friday April 15, 10.30am – 12.30pm

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says these discussions will focus on findings of the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) and the Jaguar Consulting reports and options for reform of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) and the Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016 (RSRO).

“I encourage all interested stakeholders to participate in the consultation process so that a diversity of views is represented, to inform the consideration by the Government of the reform options going forward,” Cash says.

The government is seeking industry feedback on its proposed policy reform options which include:

  • No change to the current road safety remuneration system.
  • Ensuring the Tribunal considers safety evidence and evidence of economic impacts.
  • Narrow the scope of the Tribunal.
  • Repeal (abolish) the Road Safety Remuneration System.

Some industry bodies including the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and the Australian Logistics Council (ALC) have already expressed their interest in attending these forums.

The ATA will urge the government and other stakeholders to come up with a solution to the mandatory rates dispute by the end of this month, ATA CEO Christopher Melham says.

“ALC looks forward to contributing to the Government’s review of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, where we will strongly recommend that the Tribunal should be abolished,” ALC MD Michael Kilgariff says.

“This is because having an industrially focussed tribunal responsible for rate setting is not the best mechanism to achieve improved safety and compliance on our roads.”

For further details about the forums and to register, visit the Department of Employment website.

Correction: A previous version of this article listed the details of the venues but the Department of Employment has informed ATN that some of the venues have changed since the schedule was first published. Readers are requested to refer to the Department of Employment link to make bookings and to find out more about these events.

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