Minister says Opposition unwilling to accept industry's rejection of RSRT and its flawed approach to road safety
Minister for employment Michaelia Cash today slammed Labor’s support in favour of the reestablishment of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT), saying the party is not ready to accept the fact that the tribunal and its controversial Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016 (RSRO) was “rejected” by the industry.
“The Transport Workers Union have belled the cat on the iron-clad undertaking the Labor Party have given to the union – that if elected they will reinstate the job-destroying Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal,” Cash says.
“Labor simply doesn’t learn. This tribunal has been completely rejected by owner-drivers after it was shown to be nothing about safety and all about bolstering the coffers and numbers of the TWU.
“Yet despite it being rejected by industry, despite the fact that it put tens of thousands of truck drivers out of work and despite the fact that it would have had no discernible safety outcomes, the Labor Party remains committed to its reestablishment.
“Just like their promise this week that if elected they will reintroduce an electricity tax, the Labor Party are demonstrating yet again they have a tin ear and are not willing to change their position when it is clear they have made a mistake.”
Cash’s comments came in response to Opposition leader Bill Shorten’s announcement that Labor would reestablish the RSRT and set a ‘safe rates’ scheme if reelected to power in the upcoming elections.
Cash had earlier written a letter to the Transport Workers Union (TWU) to support the government’s approach regarding the ‘safe rates’ RSRO.
Since the RSRT was terminated last month the union has been calling for it to be reinstated and the minimum rates rule to be put back in place.