O'Hara and Latham shake hands as party signals support for trucking
Road Freight New South Wales (RFNSW) has welcomed calls from NSW branch of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation to work on ending “unfair port charges” being imposed on local container transporters by stevedores.
NSW One Nation says that if elected to Parliament at the upcoming state election, it “will do everything it can to get a better deal for our trucking industry and the great people working in it.”
Commenting on a series of increases in so-called infrastructure surcharges for all laden containers in and out of Port Botany, NSW One Nation says: “This is clearly an example of price gouging, with truckies being slugged financially simply for presenting their vehicle at the port.
“It’s time multi-national stevedoring companies stopped using Aussie truckies as ATMs.
“Truckies deserve a break from escalating port surcharges. So why won’t the Government act?
“Port charges have risen by 89 per cent, without justification, without consultation. This is hurting the competitiveness of our exports, costing NSW jobs and income
“Multi-national stevedore companies must end the practice of outrageous port surcharges being imposed on NSW truckies.”
The statement is one of welcome political support after years of on the issue failing to get strong action from the major parties.
“These unjust surcharges are hurting truck operators, many of whom are small, family-run businesses,” RFNSW chief executive Simon O’Hara says.
“And it will start hurting consumers, once the charges are passed through the supply chain and they start paying more for their everyday goods.
“Despite RFNSW’s repeated calls for an Inquiry, there’s still been no intervention from government or regulators.
“It’s time that an independent arbiter is called-in to regulate infrastructure and other landside charges – and stop stevedores running roughshod over truckies just to boost their own revenue streams.”
Read RFNSW’s latest take on the continuing rise in surcharges, here
The NSW One Nation, with former federal Labor leader Mark Latham at its helm, has also honed in on the cost-of-living implications of the stevedores’ infrastructure surcharges regime.
“Aussie families are paying more for their everyday goods because of excessive port charges imposed on truckies,” it says in a statement.
“Hard-working truckies already doing it tough financially are now being hit with unfair port surcharges.
NSW One Nation also highlights other points of the sort raised by surcharge opponents.
“Port charges have risen by 89 per cent, without justification, without consultation,” it says.
“This is hurting the competitiveness of our exports, costing NSW jobs and income.
“Multi-national stevedore companies must end the practice of outrageous port surcharges being imposed on NSW truckies.
“And the state government must stamp out this rip-off.”