Competition crucial under FWC: NatRoad

Australia's parliament in the nation's capital.

The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has questioned some late amendments to the Fair Work Legislation Amendment Bill 2023 passed by the the House of Representatives yesterday.

According to NatRoad Chief Executive Officer Warren Clark, it gives the Fair Work Commission (FWC) power to make binding orders about minimum standards – things like unfair contracts, charges, cost recovery, and levies.

“Any orders will only be able to be made with industry input and extensive consultation and lead time,” said Clark.

“Crucially, they must have regard for competition and our industry’s viability.

“The hard work starts now to make sure the new law operates as it was designed to.”

Clark said a road transport advisory group within the FWC will be created to consult widely and consider expert input before the framing of any orders.

The Government has promised to establish a majority owner drivers sub-committee to advise the FWC about road transport minimum standards.

NatRoad still has questions about some aspects of the law including the so called right to disconnect according to Clark.

“We note the reference in the legislation to this applying to ‘unreasonable contact’ and that the Government has quite rightly committed to taking out the threat of criminal behaviour,” he said.

“Commonsense must prevail with the way this is applied to the road transport sector, especially as safety is a fundamental consideration during long journeys.

“We have questions about the exclusion of livestock road transport from the new powers of the FWC which makes the regulatory environment much more complicated.

“We are concerned about the potential for drivers involved in the livestock freight task being exposed to the same unreasonable contract demands that Fair Work orders will be seeking to eliminate.”

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