ATA in Crisis Talks With Deputy PM

News

30 July

Written By The ATA

TRUCKING INDUSTRY LEADERS IN CRISIS TALKS WITH DEPUTY PM

The Australian Trucking Association (ATA) board was in crisis talks with the Deputy Prime Minister this morning following the collapse of an interstate agreement aimed at speeding the flow of freight.
Despite a National Cabinet agreement last week on a protocol for moving freight across borders and screening truck drivers for COVID every seven to 14 days, state governments have imposed inconsistent and unachievable testing requirements and failed to provide the necessary testing facilities.

“The states’ COVID-19 testing requirements are a national crisis. They will shut the national trucking industry down if they are not fixed by the end of the week,” ATA Chair David Smith said. “We do not know if NSW requires truck drivers to be screened or if they just encourage it.

“In Victoria, truck drivers are being told they must self-isolate after a screening test, even though they do not have symptoms. At many Victorian testing centres yesterday, such as the Hamilton, Portland, Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh hospitals, and the Melton drive through clinic, drivers were turned away and flatly told they would not be tested.

“Meanwhile, in the early hours of Wednesday 29 July, there was a four kilometre queue of trucks at the South Australian border – in the fog. It is complete chaos and is completely unnecessary. Australia’s trucking businesses and drivers have done a great job throughout the pandemic and are now being shoved around because the states are ignoring the national agreement they signed.”
Mr Smith said the ATA board had asked the Australian Government to—

· press the state and territory governments to implement the protocol as agreed

· ensure that testing requirements, including self-isolation requirements, are clarified and consistent, and

· ensure that testing facilities are convenient and accessible to truck drivers.

“If drivers are required to be screened, there must have appropriate facilities in place,” Mr Smith said. “We recommended to the Deputy Prime Minister that pop-up screening facilities be established along major freight routes. They need to be open 24/7 and run by Australian Defence Force personnel if required, in order to keep up with demand.”

Mr Smith said the Deputy Prime Minister sympathised with the trucking industry and understood the challenges faced by operators.

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