Imposing remuneration orders in New Zealand would be a huge mistake, says Road Transport Forum boss Ken Shirley.
It would be repeating a mistake made in Australia, which has been a painful experience, he says.
The controversial ‘road safety remuneration orders’ set minimum remuneration levels and related conditions and are being protested across the Tasman, with a large convoy of trucks converging on Canberra to demonstrate against the latest order forced on the transport industry there.
A deal between the last Labor government and powerful Transport Workers Union put the legislation through in what Shirley describes as a “blatant and cynical misuse of road safety as a Trojan horse for the reintroduction of national awards.”
Political parties in New Zealand must learn from the painful experience across the Tasman and rule out the imposition of remuneration orders on the road freight industry, says Road Transport Forum Chief Executive Ken Shirley.
“There is real anger amongst the Australian trucking industry as the burden of these remuneration orders threatens the livelihoods of thousands of Australian owner-drivers,” he says.
“The link between remuneration and road safety is highly questionable and as a recent PWC report highlights, the system will result in a net cost to the Australian economy of more than A$2 billion over 15 years.”
The report also advises that abolishing the system there would result in “significant net benefit to the economy and community at large.”
