Owner drivers and small trucking businesses across Australia have secured a great victory, with the Australian Parliament voting to abolish the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) late last night.



Drivers from across Australia travelled to Canberra to take part in two days of truck convoys and rallies calling for the abolition of the Tribunal and its devastating payments order.



The Chief Executive of the Australian Trucking Association, Christopher Melham, said the decision would save thousands of small businesses.



“The RSRT’s payments order applied a minimum freight rate to owner drivers. As a result, owner drivers were finding themselves unable to compete with the rates offered by other competitors in the marketplace,” Mr Melham said.



“Owner drivers were losing their livelihoods and family businesses were folding under the pressure of this unfair, two-tier payment system.



“Owner operators across Australia stood up and said that this wasn’t right. In all states and territories, drivers invested their own time and money to attend rallies, be part of convoys, and approach their local members to fix this appalling situation.



“I’d like to thank the Government and all those independent senators who stood with owner drivers during this dark time. Thanks to their efforts, the RSRT is now a thing of the past, and its funding will be reassigned to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.”



The legislation to abolish the RSRT was passed in the Senate last night with a vote of 36-32, and received Royal Assent this morning. The abolition act commences on Thursday 21 April.