1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:01,680 Speaker 1: But we know that if you've been out to the 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: airport recently, or really if you are trying to get 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 1: around anywhere at this point, it's pretty difficult to get 4 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:12,040 Speaker 1: a taxi. Certainly a number of complaints to people who 5 00:00:12,080 --> 00:00:16,080 Speaker 1: have arrived into the Northern Territory and waiting for quite 6 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 1: a long period of time in some instances to be 7 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,480 Speaker 1: able to get a cab from the airport. Now, joining 8 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: me on the line to talk a little bit more 9 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:27,479 Speaker 1: about the situation from the Transport Workers Union Secretary Ian Smith, 10 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:28,159 Speaker 1: Good morning to you. 11 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 2: Ian. Good morning caddie. There you going, Yeah, not. 12 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: Too bad now, Ian, what do you know of this 13 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: shortage of taxis at this point? I. 14 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 2: Well, it's really got to do a lot to do 15 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: with the pandemic that we've gone through. It's a bit 16 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 2: the same as what we're saying with airports and everything, 17 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 2: that taxi driving and all those sort of positions have 18 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: become what they call insecure work. It's not full time 19 00:01:00,920 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 2: in most cases, it's not well paid. So as we've 20 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 2: come out of the pandemic, those jobs haven't been filled. 21 00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 2: And also, you know there's a fair proportion, especially in 22 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:16,920 Speaker 2: taxi work, that it has been international students that have 23 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,760 Speaker 2: come over, they use it. It's top up pay for 24 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:22,640 Speaker 2: them to survive while they're studying. So that's all had 25 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 2: an impact. And you know, there was no protection for 26 00:01:27,959 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 2: these people potentially with job keeper or anything like that 27 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 2: during the pandemic. So you know, naturally if there's no income, 28 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 2: they've just just fallen out of industry and they found 29 00:01:36,280 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 2: other jobs that are probably better paying. So you know, 30 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 2: we have a problem. Hopefully it starts to address itself 31 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 2: with international students and all starting to come back into 32 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:51,080 Speaker 2: the system. But you know, long that's long term. Short term, 33 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 2: there's going to be a real problem. 34 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,440 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is hard, isn't it. And you know, in 35 00:01:54,480 --> 00:01:57,240 Speaker 1: some instances there's reports that people are waiting for an 36 00:01:57,320 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: extended period of time, you know, if they're out there 37 00:01:59,560 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 1: at the air for example, trying to get to their 38 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: hotels depending on what time their flights come in. But 39 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,680 Speaker 1: you touched on another point that's an interesting one, and 40 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: that is some of the shortages that we're seeing at 41 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,679 Speaker 1: airports too. And we know that as we edge into 42 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 1: the school holidays next week, in some airports, says saying 43 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:18,600 Speaker 1: that there's going to be delays due to a lack 44 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: of workers there. 45 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:27,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely and look that's what's occurred throughout that sector is 46 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:32,720 Speaker 2: absolutely disgraceful. The previous government when they introduced job keeper. 47 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 2: Remember what job keeper was about was about keeping the 48 00:02:35,360 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 2: employment relationship together with the employer so that when we 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:42,720 Speaker 2: came out of the pandemic, those jobs will be there 50 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: and they could you know, life wilgo on as it 51 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:49,120 Speaker 2: was before. Now we've got to remember the security screen 52 00:02:49,600 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: at any airport just can't jump behind a machine and 53 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: be qualified just to screen or luggage. It takes time 54 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 2: and there's a level of a license that they have 55 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 2: to attain a baggage handler. Right, people might think it's 56 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,440 Speaker 2: just putting baggages on plane, it's not matter. It's about 57 00:03:03,480 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 2: making sure planes are stacked correctly, a loaded properly so 58 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:10,919 Speaker 2: that luggage doesn't shift, that has put in the right days, 59 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:13,440 Speaker 2: is put on the right planes, all those sort of things. 60 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 2: And we had two occurrences that the previous liberal government 61 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: didn't do the right thing about job keepers. So all 62 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 2: the security screeners, all the cleaners, or the small airline 63 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,000 Speaker 2: companies because they are internationally owned butt nothing. So those 64 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:32,959 Speaker 2: people left the industry. Because I've had to survive and 65 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 2: they hadn't come back and we are struggling, And then 66 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 2: we had finers that decided they got job keeper and 67 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 2: then decided to sack two thousand workers, you know, so 68 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:48,520 Speaker 2: which that well twice now has been proved to be illegal, 69 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 2: and they were actual qualified people and they bought workers 70 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: at lower rates of income. So it becomes a structure 71 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 2: in the sector that people don't want to work there 72 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:01,720 Speaker 2: because there's no job security. 73 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 1: And do you reckon this? Do you think that we 74 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: are going to see significant delays around the nation at 75 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 1: our airports, you know from next week when those school 76 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: holidays start. I know that the school holidays do have 77 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: different starting points depending on what state you're in. 78 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,799 Speaker 2: Well, certainly in the major airports, that's the case now, 79 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:26,200 Speaker 2: so that with the influx of more passengers, it's only 80 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,359 Speaker 2: going to get worse. I know in Adelaide on Monday 81 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 2: there was major delays through security and that was just 82 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 2: because they had three people called it sick. Now, now 83 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 2: that's pretty unacceptable that. You know, the big females of 84 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 2: the airport are the major airlines and the airport that 85 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 2: our companies and own airports who over the last ten 86 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:48,760 Speaker 2: to fifteen years have made multi billion dollar profits. It's 87 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 2: about time they started to put some of that money 88 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,719 Speaker 2: back and support, support the workers, and get people trained 89 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,520 Speaker 2: so that the traveling public can number one, get to 90 00:04:57,560 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: their planes, but number two make sure they do it safe. 91 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 2: And companies like Quantas need to be held to account. 92 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 2: And really is the Quantus that fix this issue to borrow. 93 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:08,720 Speaker 2: There's a great proportion of those two thousand workers that 94 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 2: don't have jobs. They could bring them all up and 95 00:05:11,279 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 2: say hey, we want you back again, and they could 96 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:18,440 Speaker 2: start tomorrow and then Quantas is our major carrier, would 97 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 2: not have issues I had. There's some stories that during 98 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,760 Speaker 2: that long weekend that they sent a full plane of baggage, 99 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,080 Speaker 2: just the baggage up to prison from Milk. They have 100 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: it all up and they didn't have the stuff. So goodness, 101 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 2: pretty serious and what's going on. And we've seen incidences 102 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 2: and some of that's been in territory where and it's 103 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 2: not the baggage channeler's faults that are working there now 104 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 2: where they've damaged brains because lack of train number one, 105 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: lack of experience, you know, so you know, someone has 106 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,599 Speaker 2: to be held for account for these decisions. So we've 107 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 2: held one Partied accountcause we don't have the little party 108 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 2: in power anymore, and we've got some. The next part 109 00:05:55,040 --> 00:05:57,360 Speaker 2: is the companies that control the airport should be held 110 00:05:57,360 --> 00:05:58,920 Speaker 2: to account and this is. 111 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: One of them, Transport Bokers Union Secretary Ian Smith. We 112 00:06:02,760 --> 00:06:05,159 Speaker 1: appreciate your time this morning. Thanks very much for having 113 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:05,800 Speaker 1: a chat with us. 114 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 2: Thank you.