Owner-driver legislation introduced to Parliament

Redcliffe Bridge lands a new milestone

The Redcliffe Bridge has reached a new milestone, landing on the northern side of the Swan River.

This project is being constructed as part of the jointly funded Tonkin Gap Project.

A total of 17 bridge segments, made from 3,000 cubic metres of concrete, were used to construct the new 310-metre-long structure.

The concrete segments were cast on-site and connected to the previous section before being launched using an incremental process that pushes the segments forward on sliding bearings using hydraulics.

Each segment moved up to 18 metres every two to three weeks, taking 10 months to complete.

When complete, the bridge will have six lanes of traffic with four additional lanes for commuters to get to and from Great Eastern Highway.

The bridge is anticipated to open to traffic in the first quarter of 2023.

Other works on the project that are progressing well include a new loop ramp at Great Eastern Highway for commuters coming onto Tonkin Highway from the east to travel north.

Once complete this will provide free flowing access to Tonkin Highway.

The project recently installed the final bridge beams at Guildford Road and Railway Parade, with another 18 bridge beams to be installed at Broun Avenue later this year.

All 92 bridge beams for the project are manufactured by local company Georgiou Group at its precast yard in Hazelmere.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, "When complete the Tonkin Gap Project will be a game changer for the eastern suburbs, slashing travel times and improving congestion. "This area is a well-known pinch point that carries 120,000 vehicles daily - when the project is completed we anticipate this will slash travel times for afternoon drivers by up to 11 minutes.

several years of work including a review from 2018 which included extensive consultation undertaken with industry through the Road Freight Transport Industry Council with members representing the Transport Workers Union, Western Roads Federation and industry.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said, “Our freight supply chains and transport industries are incredibly important to our economy, as we have seen recently with the disruption to the East-West rail link.

“Owner-drivers play a vital role in our road freight transport supply chain and we want to ensure they and other small businesses are protected so they can continue this vital work.

“I would like to thank the Members of the Road Freight Transport Industry Council for their work on these important reforms.”

When complete, the bridge will have six lanes of traffic with four additional lanes for commuters to get to and from Great Eastern Highway

Owner-driver legislation introduced to Parliament

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has introduced the Owner-Drivers (Contracts and Disputes) Amendment Bill 2022 to Parliament on June 22nd.

The Act establishes a framework for regulating dealings between owner-drivers and their hirers and the new Bill will provide additional protections for these small businesses and individual contractors.

The following changes are proposed under the new legislation: • minimum periods for termination: contracts greater than three months will have a 90-day minimum notice period and contracts less than three months will have a 7-day minimum notice period; • unfair or unjust contract provisions clarification; • misleading and deceptive conduct specifically prohibited; • a workplace right of entry: for an ownerdriver's authorised representative for the purpose of investigating suspected breaches of the Act; • discrimination will be a form of unconscionable conduct under the Act; • non-compliance with guideline rates: the Road Freight Transport Industry

Council publishes "guideline rates" to inform industry participants when they bargain concerning rates of pay. Noncompliance with guideline rates will be a factor relevant when the Road Freight

Transport Industry Tribunal determines whether there has been unconscionable dealing; and • changes to the Tribunal's powers and jurisdiction to ensure they are better equipped to deliver just and efficient outcomes in dispute resolution.

These amendments are the result of