To get the government’s attention on rising fuel prices, a group of approximately one hundred drivers of tip trucks caused significant traffic delays in Melbourne during the morning peak hour.
Around 8:30 in the morning, witnesses saw the truck drivers travelling across the Westgate Freeway at speeds of approximately 15 kilometres per hour, with heavy traffic piling up behind them.
The rally was scheduled to end in front of the Victorian Parliament at approximately 11 in the morning on Wednesday.
It is believed that the truck drivers are workers employed by the government on various projects, such as the Westgate Tunnel and rail projects, who are fed up with the lack of a response from the government to the rising cost of fuel.
Ricky Woolcock, the Treasurer of the Victorian Tippers United, is currently driving one of the first trucks in the convoy. He recently stated on 3AW that the government made a commitment three months ago that they would assist in the implementation of a fuel fee in order to meet the cost of living.
“Our fuel is up to 50 or 60 per cent of our prices, and they’ve hanging us out to dry so we’ve chosen to come for a trip into the city to show them we need this done,” he told Neil Mitchell. “We’ve decided to come for a drive into the city to show them we need this done.”
They have set our rate, which means that we will not receive any additional compensation for the additional costs we have incurred.
At this time, the majority of males are fortunate to generate a profit of approximately $60 every day.
It is believed that a significant number of truck drivers who were not involved in the convoy made the decision to call in sick to work today.