Angry owner-drivers have today sounded their horns to press home their need to stay in business.

Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley was one of the federal MPs on hand to greet the convoy of approximately forty trucks and said that 10 per cent of those present were from her electorate.

“RSRT has started to bite in every case and is already bringing the industry to a standstill. Owner drivers are losing contracts because the minimum rates now make them too expensive.

“One of the drivers from my local area, a family business, said to me ‘our sons have watched us their whole lives and just want to be like us. This spells the end of our family business’”, said Ms Ley.

The Government has today introduced legislation to abolish the deeply flawed Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT).

“Two bills have been introduced into the House to provide certainty and protect the livelihoods of tens of thousands of small business owner-drivers across Australia. Any threat to the industry will also have large flow-on effects for consumers,” said Ms Ley.

Tens of thousands of owner truck drivers, many of whom have taken out mortgages to buy their trucks, face being driven out of business by the RSRT.

Two independent studies have recommended that the RSRT be dismantled, showing there is no conclusive proof between rates of remuneration and safety outcomes. Economic modelling has also showed that it will cost the economy $2.3 billion in net present value.

The money saved by abolishing the RSRT will be redirected to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, to work with the States and Territories to implement practical safety measures.