In recent days, the cost of fuel around the country has skyrocketed with no immediate relief in sight.
This is going to have dire consequences for the road transport industry.
There will be some firms that have locked in fuel levies for their clients but I know that there will be a significant number of companies and owner drivers who will not be able to. As a result, we will see many transport companies go broke or just shut up shop.
The road transport industry is not the bank of Australia and we can’t expect the trucking industry to just suck up this huge cost impost while delivering essential goods around the nation. And this should not be allowed to happen.
We’ve seen this government squander billions of dollars in Jobkeeper to companies who didn’t need it. We’ve seen this government rort hundreds of millions of tax payer dollars into projects in Liberal and National Party electorates to help them win votes at the next election.
The Commonwealth Government collects a handsome 45 cents from every litre of diesel sold in this nation.
But when it comes to supporting an industry that could be brought to its knees, an industry that has been praised as essential throughout the pandemic but which is now in desperate need of assistance facing crippling prices at the bowser – Scott Morrison is once again nowhere to be seen.
He could be looking at ways to ease the pain at the bowser, but his government as recently as Wednesday, categorically ruled out any changes to the fuel excise.
So for all the praise Morrison gave to the road transport industry throughout the pandemic, how much are his words worth now?
All photo opportunity.
No delivery.
All talk.
No action.
Once again, Morrison has shown his complete disrespect of the road transport industry.
Glenn Sterle is a former truckie who is now a WA Labor Senator and Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety.