ScoMo lashed for new apprenticeship program as truckies lament the shocking death toll of Australia’s ‘deadliest’ industry

Australia’s transport workers have slammed Scott Morrison, accusing him of trying to send young truck drivers ‘to their graves’.

Australia’s transport workers have slammed Scott Morrison for his new apprenticeship program for truck drivers, accusing him of trying to send young drivers “to their graves”.

Mr Morrison announced the new program on Monday, which will offer apprenticeships in transport to young people to help boost an ageing and overstretched trucking industry workforce.

But the Transport Workers Union lashed the new program, insisting it failed to address the bigger issues facing the Aussie industry with the highest number of on-the-job deaths in the country.

“Truck driver deaths doubled this year compared to 2020,” the TWU said on Monday.

“So far this year, 50 truck drivers have been killed at work, up from 26 truckie deaths in 2020.

“The Morrison government has failed to address supply chain pressures before inviting young people to join Australia’s deadliest industry.”

The TWU said trucking was Australia’s ‘deadliest industry’ with 50 truck driver deaths so far in 2021. Picture: Alfredo Pacheco/Getty Images

In March, an extensive two-year Senate inquiry into the safety and future of the trucking industry found a centralised, powerful and independent body was needed to regulate the sector.

But TWU assistant national secretary Nick McIntosh said Mr Morrison had ignored most recommendations from the report.

“Mr Morrison is picking and choosing the easiest recommendation of an extensive Senate report to suit his election campaign while refusing to fix the crisis in trucking,” he said.

“An apprenticeship scheme won’t work if it simply asks young people to jump into the graves of truckies killed, only to face the same deadly pressures as their predecessors.”

The TWU said Scott Morrison had ignored most of the 10 recommendations of the landmark Senate inquiry into the trucking industry. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

The pandemic has seen a stack of supply chain pressures plague the trucking industry as increased freight costs and protracted lockdowns have caused crippling shortages.

A shortage of diesel additive AdBlue is now threatening to ground Australia’s trucks to halt completely.

Mr McIntosh said the apprenticeship announcement was the first time truckies had heard anything from Mr Morrison, despite sending numerous letters to his office during the pandemic.

“The Morrison government has selective hearing when it comes to trucking,” Mr McIntosh said.

“There wouldn’t be a driver shortage if there wasn’t such a deficit of decent work, proper consultation, and reform to address the Amazon Effect of cost-cutting and deadly exploitation in trucking supply chains.

“It is no wonder the Prime Minister has opted for the one recommendation which would not upset or hold to account the wealthy retailers, manufacturers and oil companies squeezing supply chains and making trucking so unsafe.”

The TWU said the announcement of the new apprenticeship program was the first time truckies had heard anything from Scott Morrison, despite sending numerous letters to the PM’s office throughout the pandemic.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new national trucking apprenticeship was critical to address a potential shortfall in the trucking workforce while meeting supply chain challenges.

“Securing Australia’s economic recovery relies on the thousands of men and women driving trucks around our country every single day,” he said.

“Our trucking sector drives our economy and there couldn’t be a more important job than getting food on the table to millions of families or delivering Covid-19 vaccines to doctors, hospitals and pharmacies across Australia.”

The new national apprenticeship, Certificate III in Driving Operations, will see the industry together with states and territories develop a truck driving apprenticeship for the first time, following endorsement of a new framework by federal, state and territory skills ministers.

Each state and territory will consider adding the apprenticeship to their training programs, with existing Commonwealth funding for apprenticeships and training flowing when they do, the prime minister said.

Not everyone in the trucking industry appeared to find issues with the new program.

Logistics boss John West said the apprenticeships would help the trucking industry “immensely”as he spoke at the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday.

“It'll help us bring down age down and it's great for the younger generation,” Mr West said.

“It's a great thing. It's a big step forward for our industry.”

Trucking company owner John West said the apprenticeships would be a ‘great thing’ for the industry as the PM announced the new program on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The TWU said it also welcomed the new pathway for young workers to join the industry, but insisted truck driving would remain an undesirable career as long as Mr Morrison refused to introduce regulations to make the trucking industry safer.

“If Mr Morrison was as serious about attracting new drivers to the industry as he is about grabbing headlines and photos with trucks, he’d enact every recommendation of the Senate report, starting with the creation of a robust independent body to make trucking safer and more desirable,” he said.