In response to the TWU campaign – what do you think?

By Chris Smith

There has been another death on Australian roads this week involving trucks. In Queensland a mother and her daughter were involved in a tragic accident involving a truck. A truckie saved the life of the young daughter however her mother died when the truck and car exploded.

Our condolences go to all that have lost loved ones through road trauma and we recognise the sacrifices and emotional turmoil faced by truck drivers, their families and employers when these accidents occur. It is a difficult situation for all families involved.

However, this post is in recognition of the release by the TWU on November 3rd referencing recent truck crashes.  I have had a letter to the editor and it makes valid points. I hope to get your feedback and hear your opinion. I have put a request in to the TWU and I am eagerly awaiting a response to some of the questions raised in the following letter. I have to note the story is not based on opinion by Diesel or any of its staff and it is a release from the TWU.  Posts on this site are not necessarily written by staff but they are posted online by us. Stories written by us generally have a byline at the beginning of the story.

The letter begins:

Letter to editor,

Shame on you Tony Sheldon, how dare you sensationalise the tragic deaths of these people, and use their deaths and the circumstances surrounding them to push your political aspirations. Have you fully investigated and are you able to prove that these deaths are a result of rogue operators, and drivers being pushed beyond their limits? As the man who is supposed to be representing this industry, I’m disgusted that you have labeled all operators who may be going through the anguish this week of losing one of their employees, or who have an employee who has been involved in one of these tragic accidents. One in particular is very close to my heart, that company and the owners have been told very early on in the investigation that they have not done anything wrong, they have provided a safe workplace for their employee and their driver was not pushed beyond his capabilities. This company, the owners and their employees are devastated that they have lost “one of their family”. Have you investigated the circumstances, where a cyclist, a pedestrian and a motorist, who tragically lost their lives this week are a direct result of rogue operators? I think not. Sometimes accidents happen.

Shame on you Chris Smith, for a man who has the experience you have in this industry, I’m disgusted that you would too sensationalise these incidents, and write this story with the theme and meaning that all of them have happened as a direct result of rogue operators. Talk about media spin…. If this isn’t a case of it then what is!

Regards,

Maxine Imrie

The letter ends.

Please send through your thoughts on this issue to chris@chrissmith.net.au.