End near in blockade?

Press, 10 April 1979, Page 6

End near in blockade?

The end appears to be in sight for the week-old truckles’ blockades that have crippled road transport in Australia.

Representatives of the protesting truckies last evening again met the New South Wales State Premier (Mr Neville Wran), this time at the State Government office block in Sydney. The blockades began when six trucks parked across the Hume Highway at Razorback Mountain, south-west of Sydney.

At their peak, there were about 100 blockades in all mainland states.

But last evening the number of traffic obstructions was falling as truckies accepted Government offers to meet their grievances.

Most of the blockades in Victoria and Queensland had been lifted by last evening and there were bright prospects that similar action would follow throughout South Australia. Blockades still existed ; n parts of Western Australia, and about 40 blockades re-

mained in force throughout New South Wales. But there was some hope that these could be lifted after a meeting late last night in Sydney. The spokesman for rhe protesters, Mr Ted Stevens, said that the blockades were “all over bar the shouting.” He said it was hoped Mr Wran would help sort out the shambles, and reiterated that the men wanted guarantees on their 13-point log of claims. He made it clear that if there was no settlement of the dispute in New South Wales, inter-state truckers would continue to support the protesters by blocking all roads into the state.

The dispute, by crippling road transport, has had serious side effects for Australia’s main cities, particularly Sydney. Food supplies are dwindling and price rises in many lines are becoming evident. Industry also has been hard hit. For example, G-M-H yesterday stood down 1600 employees at the Pagewood plant in Sydney because of component shortages created bv the blockades.