Tony Sheldon (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Hundreds of trucks, good employers and industry transport groups took part in convoys across the country on Saturday, including on the lawns outside this building, urging this chamber to urgently pass the closing the loopholes bill. This year there have already been 210 everyday Australians killed in truck crashes. Every month, 55 transport businesses collapse and, thanks to the Liberal and Nationals, these urgent life-saving reforms will be delayed by months. That means more insolvencies, more exploitation and more sweatshops on wheels.

These reforms are widely supported by every major transport industry stakeholder. There is nothing contentious about them, but the Christmas message from Leader of the Opposition, Mr Dutton, to Australians in the road transport industry, is, 'You're getting paid too much.' He says that you have it too good. The Liberals and Nationals' Christmas present to Australian workers is a middle-finger salute: no minimum standard for transport gig workers being paid as little as $6 an hour; no permanent jobs for casuals; no same job, same pay for labour hire workers; no fair playing field for good employers; no job security; and no wage rises for anyone is the Liberals and Nationals' economic plan.

People are sick and tired of Mr Dutton always standing behind big business and never standing up for workers or hardworking small business. In fact, where was Mr Dutton last week? He was at a party hosted by the richest person in Australia, Gina Rinehart, because that's who he represents. According to media reports, Mr Dutton sat by the billionaire's hand for the evening and enjoyed smoked wagyu brisket and ribs whilst half-naked acrobats spun around. It sounds like a lovely evening for Dutton and his billionaire paymasters— (Time expired)