No start date for the safe rates order yet, as industry bodies successfully freeze it
The Federal Court in Brisbane has granted a stay of the Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order (RSRO) that was due to start on Monday, April 4, following an urgent application by the Australian Trucking Association (ATA) and National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) on Friday evening.
According to the Federal Court Stay Order, the court orders that “the order of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal of 18 December 2015 entitled Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016 and the order of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal of 1 April 2016, being refusal to vary the order of 18 December 2015, be stayed to vary until further order of the Court.”
The decision means the RSRT must now convince the court of its position before the RSRO can be unfrozen.
The court says it will reveiw the decision at a date yet to be fixed.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says it is business as usual for tens of thousands of contractor drivers today.
“We believe submissions from other industry groups will start to come in today to support our application with the Federal Court and we welcome this activity,” Clark says.
“We will continue to act as the lead voice for the thousands of owner drivers and small and medium transport operators who are concerned their businesses and livelihoods are at risk if the Order proceeds in its current form.”
The Queensland Trucking Association has also issued a statement on the events, warning members to “not form a view that the impact of the RSRT decision has been removed.”
“There remains much activity before the Federal Court and ultimately in the political arena to determine what if any impact the RSRT decision will have on your business,” the body says.
“QTA Ltd will certainly be active both as a member of ARTIO and a member of the Australian Trucking Association in reinforcing our views as to the detrimental impact of the RSRT and its decisions on your business.”
The Federal Government and Australian Industry Group have backed the court decision.
However, on Friday the TWU made its opposing opinion clear.
“For two years these parties had a chance to respond and engage constructively in this process and they refused. Now an eleventh hour injunction is being sought,” Transport Workers Union national secretary Tony Sheldon says.
“By doing this both parties are doing the transport industry and the taxpayers of this country a gross disservice.”
Further details to come.
What has happened so far?
The RSRT decided not to delay the introduction of mandatory rates for contractor drivers. Read the full breakdown here.
The tribunal used its verdict to slam its opponents. Read the full story here.
Then a Government-commissioned review of tribunal was released, wanting major changes made to the RSRT. Read the full story here.
The review even pointed to the benefits in removing the RSRT. Read the full story here.
However, it has all been put on hold, providing time for the Cattle Council of Australia to have its say on the impact on rural truck drivers.