Grieving truckie’s wife Delphine Mugridge has vowed to keep fighting for nationwide adoption of South Australia’s groundbreaking changes to the heavy vehicle licensing of drivers from overseas.
The widow of Slim Mugridge, one of three drivers killed in a triple-fatality at Yalata on April 4, was alongside SA Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis and South Australian Road Transport Association (SARTA) Executive Officer Steve Shearer to announce the reforms in the South Australian Parliament late last month.
She also handed over a copy of the petition she started to lobby for changes that is now backed by more than 20,000 supporters.
“I think Slim would be surprised I’ve done this, but proud as well,” Mugridge, 74, told Big Rigs.
“Hopefully other states will come on board now once they see it’s working.
“I don’t want Slim’s memory to die – and I don’t want him to have died in vain.”
Under the changes, which take effect in February, the state government will establish an ongoing Multi-Combination (MC) Licence Program for drivers to obtain a licence allowing them to drive all heavy vehicles. Drivers will need to apply for the program with support of their employer, and complete a competency-based training course before logging a minimum number of hours and learning components with a qualified supervisor.
Heavy Rigid licence holders will be required to complete a minimum of 60 hours of logged supervised driving and additional learning while those with an existing licence will need to complete at least 50 hours.
Overseas heavy vehicle driving experience will no longer be recognised for those pursuing an MC licence, with the exception of New Zealand.
Drivers from overseas countries will be required to hold a South Australian HR or Heavy Combination licence for a minimum of 12 months, or complete the MC Licence Program before obtaining a MC licence.
“This is all about making sure everyone can get home safe after their shifts and not be worried about them dying,” Mugridge said.
Mugridge reiterated that she started the petition to have the same rules adopted right across Australia. She’s planning to relocate back to her home state of Queensland next year and petition the state government there to take the same hardline approach as South Australia.
“There’s a lot of accidents happening on the Bruce Highway every day,” she said.
“I’ll check how many people have signed my petition from Queensland and use that to lobby the Queensland Government.”
Shearer is also going to do everything he can to bring pressure to bare to have other jurisdictions follow SA’s lead.
He knows his colleagues in other states have been watching SA closely and said the Australian Trucking Association is “fully on board”.
“I can’t imagine anyone is going to get their nose out of joint over this because it’s such an obviously sensible thing to do, and it doesn’t cut across anything that anybody else is thinking about in other states that I know of.
“You wouldn’t want to be the minister in a state who’s observed what South Australia has done, and not long afterwards that state suffers a horrendous fatality, and they are not seen to have been picking it up.”
Shearer said he was grateful for the political impetus that Delphine Mugridge’s petition triggered.
SARTA had pushed for changes to the licensing of HV drivers from overseas for some 15 years.
“But we were always met with arguments from officials that nothing can be done because of the 1939 Geneva Convention on Land Transport, under the control of the Department for Foreign Affairs, which allows overseas drivers to use their overseas licences here,” Shearer said.
“As usual SARTA did not give up and we kept pushing the issue at every opportunity within SA and nationally. In recent years the changing dynamic on the roads has increased the need and the pressure for change. But why the hell does it take the death of three people to make something like this happen?”
Shearer realises that until other states follow suit, drivers can still take shortcuts in other jurisdictions.
“But to not do it for that reason, would have been irresponsible. Koutsantonis has made the right decision to step up to the plate and essentially eyeball his colleagues and say, ‘Well, are you going to get on board, or not?’”
Koutsantonis said everyone has the right to go to work and return home safely.
“We owe it to families like the Mugridges and to all road users to make our roads as safe as possible,” Koutsantonis said.
“These new standards not only honour Neville’s memory but respond to the needs of the industry and the calls for change from many who work on our roads daily. This is a critical step in ensuring that those behind the wheel of the heaviest and most complex vehicles on our roads have the necessary training and experience to drive them safely.
“The reforms ensure drivers meet the highest standards of competency while providing clearer pathways for achieving the required qualifications.”
Koutsantonis said he’s now urging other ministers to follow SA’s lead.
“The power of the argument I believe will carry the day,” he told media on the day of the announcement.
“Why? Because Nev should have gone home to his family, and I shouldn’t need to be standing here today making these changes.”
Koutsantonis said Delphine Mugridge’s petition is one of the largest he’s tabled in the SA Parliament in his 27 years in state politics.
“It is a remarkable effort; it’s been a whole movement and I want to thank her for the work she’s done, not only in Nev’s memory but to make sure there are no other people who have to start a petition,” he said. “It is very brave of Delphine to be here today and to do this and talk publicly about it, but I think she’s a hero.
“I think the work she has done will change the country and the way we do licensing in this country – and it will save lives.”
About time!!
Too many have been affected by the government’s non action on this. To go from 22 tonnes to 68+ tonnes in 2 days is insane.
The government should hang their heads in shame to have it come to this. Well done to all that helped with this change. Let’s hope it’s the start of reform for all licensing. Cars with trailers and vans should be next. To have an industry this size with no training is a joke. Imagine a pilot or a doctor in the same position? Without trucks, Australia stops.
Everyone should be able to get home without the drama of what drivers have to go through. Imagine the uproar if car drivers were fined like truck drivers?
Stay safe. Look after each other.
God bless you Delphine. Well done. I was more than happy to be one of the many who signed your petition. Slim will be sorely missed.