O’Hara and Dumesny gain feedback from operators at Port Botany
Road Freight NSW (RFNSW) has joined forces with its interstate counterpart the Western Australian Road Transport Association (WARTA) in a renewed fight against stevedores’ landside surcharges.
RFNSW general manager Simon O’Hara met with WARTA executive officer Cam Dumesny today, observing freight movements and out of the Port Botany terminals and getting feedback from carriers about the impact the new levies were having on their day-to-day operations.
“In NSW and WA, truck operators, particularly those smaller, family-run businesses, are hurting,” O’Hara says.
“RFNSW and WARTA have now decided to use our collective strength in bringing the stevedores to account, for the sake of our members.
“Again, we make the point that at ports across the country, stevedores have imposed these taxes on hardworking truck operators without any regulatory scrutiny.
“We are concerned about the dangerous domino effect this has had on industry. Since stevedores started imposing these charges, other operators with significant supply chain power have also begun slugging transport operators.”
The two organisations want an independent body, ultimately the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), to be called-in to put the brakes on the stevedores and start regulating landside port charges.
This is despite a cool response from ACCC chairman Rod Sims last week.
“We believe the recent Federal Court finding, which allows the ACCC to monitor and regulate pricing at the Port of Newcastle, means the ACCC should be in a position to review the situation at Australia’s ports,” O’Hara says.
“Accordingly, RFNSW and WARTA will make a joint submission to the ACCC, again calling for an investigation and independent umpire to review any financial charges.”
O’Hara thanked Dumesny for his support and says RFNSW looks forward to working with WARTA to advocate on behalf of members in both states.
RFNSW and WARTA will make a joint submission to the ACCC, again calling for an investigation and independent umpire to review any financial charges.