South Australian Government gives police the power to inform truck owners about infringements drivers incur
South Australian operators will soon know all about their drivers’ road behaviour after police were given the power to disclose sensitive information.
South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) Executive Director Steve Shearer says the State Government has given police the green light to inform truck owners about drivers’ breaches days before the caretaker period commences.
SARTA has been lobbying the Government for 12 years to allow police to share such information with operators which Shearer believes is set to follow nationally.
“It’s simply a matter of removing what was previously a barrier which was the privacy legislation,” he says.
“The only people that have got anything to fear from this are the people who are doing the wrong thing and maybe some operators who’d rather not know because once they do know they’re going to be obliged to do something to manage the problem.
“The vast majority of operators will be very pleased to be informed by the police about problems so they can manage their drivers. They’re not going to run around sacking everybody because there aren’t enough good drivers.”
National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) spokeswoman Orla Thompson says the regulator is aware of SARTA’s arrangements with the Government.
“The NHVR understands the significance of what has been announced and we look forward to consulting with the South Australian Government regarding details of their positions and its application to the future work of the NHVR,” Thompson says.
Victorian Transport Association (VTA) CEO Neil Chambers has described the decision as a “breakthrough” and says he would like to see it in other jurisdictions.
“Steve has worked very hard over many years to achieve the outcome,” Chambers says.
“I haven’t had a chance to analyse the SA outcome in great details yet. We will need to see whether Victorian privacy law differs sufficiently from SA law that may in any way prevent a similar outcome in Victoria.
“I assume a similar analysis will be required in other states and territories.”
South Australian trucking firm Beattie Transport’s Compliance Manager Tony Rankine says the Government’s decision will allow better management of drivers.
The former detective superintendent with South Australia Police says companies will now be able to put disciplinary measures in place.
“We are sometimes behind the eight ball in terms of being proactive and ensuring they don’t break the law deliberately or negligently,” Rankine says.
“If the driver was fined for exceeding a speed limit in another state or this state, unless the company is notified of it and unless the driver comes forward, we won’t know about it.
“Although we keep a good check on our drivers and their behaviour through our in-vehicle management system, we can’t always pick up each and every incident straight away so we will be doing things in delay whereas if we had more appropriate and timely information from the police in that regard then it’s beholden on us to do something about it more deliberately and meaningful,” he adds.
“We’re I guess as good as some of our drivers want to be on certain occasions and while we certainly take direct positive action against drivers we find breaching the law within our own regime, we’d be quite happy to receive support from the police so that we know what exactly is going on out there rather than to find about it in the future.”
ATN is awaiting a response from the South Australian Government.