Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I indicate my support for this amendment and commend Senator Fielding for moving it. I think having a review of the heavy vehicle safety and productivity program is worth while. In relation to this issue I am grateful for the briefings from the minister’s office, and I have put the case that I think it is important with respect to the moneys being raised in part for a safety program for truck stops. It is important that this be rolled out as soon as possible. I put it very clearly to the minister and the minister’s office that I am concerned that in my home state of South Australia, which has about 8½ per cent of the population but takes up about 15 per cent of the national freight travelling through, it is important that this program be rolled out and that South Australia get a fair share of that in terms of appropriate truck stops.

In the lead-up to Christmas last year I went to Bordertown to visit a number of local community groups that were running a voluntary truck stop or rest stop. A lot of them were ex-truck drivers and operators and they were quite despondent about the lack of truck stops in their neck of the woods. I commend the government for ensuring that there will be significant funds to deal with this issue on a national level and I commend Senator Fielding for moving this particular amendment.