& LABOR SENATOR BATTLE WITH LUNG CANCER

& might he could for those who mattered. VALE Senator Alex Gallacher.

‘He loved his family; Number 1.’ He loved his family, he loved golf, and it sounds like he also loved the capacity to be part of trying to direct this nation.

This was an attitude he learned as a trucker, labourer and airline ramp operator and kept as he became a branch secretary and national president of the Transport Workers’ Union, which he first joined in 1975. It stayed with him in Parliament, even after his lung cancer diagnosis in December 2019.

TWU Branch Secretary Tim Dawson said “Transport workers, the TWU and the Parliament have lost a great advocate. Senator Gallacher was a straight-talking, no-nonsense, and hardworking man prepared to speak truth to power to support workers. Alex was someone on whom workers could always rely and was resolute in his belief that no obstacle should prevent working people from achieving their best.

“We are all poorer for having lost Alex.

“We extend our deepest condolences to his widow Paola, children and grandchildren during this difficult time. Our thoughts are with all TWU members and parliamentarians grieving the loss of a close friend and ally.”

TWU SA/NT Secretary Ian Smith said: “This is a deep loss for all of us at the TWU after decades of rolling up our sleeves and getting stuck in to the important task of lifting standards in transport. Alex was a close personal friend. His beliefs will remain a driving force in our fight for transport workers’ rights. Today we make a promise to Alex, his family and friends to continue to fight on in his honour.”

May he rest in peace. Vale Senator Alex Gallacher.

“I have watched a truck completely burn in front of me with one of my co-workers trapped inside. Another close co-worker rolled his truck 2 years ago, seriously injuring himself, he is still not cleared to drive again” – A driver working in oil, fuel and gas.

I often drive around under work on my scanner get it done... It’s always – A driver working delivery

“The whole industry needs to be overhauled. I work anywhere from 12-17 hours a day, up to 6 days a week...

To put that into perspective, I’m fatigued every day I go to work, but I’m still expected to turn up and do the job” – A logistics driver describing fatigue pressures