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Assessors driven to protest by government privatisation plans

Staff ReporterCanning Gazette

They claimed State Government plans to sell off services to the private sector could compromise driving standards.

Assessors from metropolitan licensing centres rallied outside Solidarity Park near Parliament House to voice their concerns about the proposed plans.

A six-month trial is under way in Bunbury, where South-West driving schools have become both instructors and assessors for truck driving assessments.

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Community and Public Sector Union/Civil Service Association branch assistant secretary Rikki Hendon said the government’s privatisation agenda was ‘pretty clear.’

In State Parliament last week, Transport Minister Troy Buswell said truck assessments in other centres would be implemented if the trial was successful and would be followed by other classes with motorbike licences.

‘Our members believe that privatising these essential public services will compromise standards,’ Ms Hendon said. ‘It is not a good look for profit-driven companies to teach someone to drive, then fail them as it would reflect badly on their reputation.’

A Department of Transport spokesman dismissed the claims.

‘This trial aims to provide more convenient access for customers seeking heavy combination and heavy rigid practical driving assessments,’ he said.

‘The contract requires that the same individual cannot be both trainer and assessor, and the DoT will closely scrutinise and audit the performance of each authorised provider during the course of the trial.’