Bare supermarket shelves triggered by border restrictions and extreme weather events risk becoming more common unless a key transport link is safeguarded for future years.
That’s the warning from Australia’s rural trucking industry which says the nation can’t afford an exodus of drivers.
Extreme weather events caused by La Nina and the threat of animal disease outbreaks over the past year have added to an almost doubling of diesel costs and AdBlue exhaust liquid supply issues for truckers.
Now the Australian Livestock and Rural Transporters Association (ALRTA) is campaigning for a type of self-insurance scheme to safeguard the future of the industry.
Executive director Matthew Munro told 9News.com.au that truck drivers were a critical point in the supply chain.
“An increase in transport costs affects everything we buy,” he said.
“We’ve seen supermarket shelves stripped bare of some products, KFC outlets running out of chicken, and record lettuce prices … things that would have been unthinkable three years ago.
“Then mum and dad consumers feel that pinch pretty quickly.”
The ALRTA is lobbying the federal government for a self-insurance scheme based on an existing farm management deposit scheme for farmers.
It would enable rural truck drivers during a good financial year to pay money into a scheme and would be tax deductible.
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The money could be withdrawn later and would be taxed at that stage.
There is no existing compensation scheme available for rural transporters who were facing tough trading conditions.
Munro said the rural truck industry was particularly at risk of extreme weather conditions such as long closures of flooded highways.
And an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Australia would be catastrophic for the industry, he warned.
The rural truck industry has also suffered from structural problems. The average age of a driver is from the late 40s to early 50s and government red tape means experienced overseas drivers face a long wait until they can operate in Australia.
Young people entering the industry also face a long wait before they can become fully licensed.
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