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PM rallies truckies over road tribunal

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has pledged never to restore the roads safety tribunal, emphasising the impact on family trucking businesses.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull
Malcolm Turnbull will hit the key seat of Macarthur with two major announcements. (AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Bleary eyed, runny nose and a hoarse throat - Malcolm Turnbull is battling a flu in the final stretch of the marathon election campaign.

But the sudden illness hasn't stopped the prime minister from rallying owner-driver truckies in southwest Sydney - even if it was with a scratchy voice.

"Do you have any flu remedies for me? I'm happy to receive some advice," he joked to reporters on Sunday.

Mr Turnbull joined dozens of owner drivers in Smeaton Grange in the key seat of Macarthur, promising never to restore Labor's road safety and wage-setting tribunal.

Instead, the $4 million saved from its abolition will be diverted to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, with extra money pumped into road safety programs such as Roads to Recovery.

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Mr Turnbull said it's a disgrace that thousands of small trucking businesses would be hit hard by a revived Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.

He accused Labor leader Bill Shorten of putting the interests of unions ahead of mums and dads and having "utter indifference" to family businesses.

"It's a scandal."

One of the 35,000 owner drivers who Mr Turnbull argues will be put out of work if the tribunal returns is Vince Musumeci.

Mr Musumeci always wanted to own his own trucking business and says he's now living the dream.

But the owner of Vin's Haulage fears what a revival of the tribunal would mean for his small firm.

"I'm going to lose my house, my truck - everything," Mr Musumeci told AAP.

As Mr Turnbull emphasised the impact on families, he had his own backing him up at the rally.

While wife Lucy and daughter Daisy provided moral support, Mr Turnbull also had his secret weapon: grandson Jack.

The pint-sized two-year-old quickly stole the show as he sat in the driver's seat of a hauler and tried - but failed - to blow the horn.

"He's very big on trucks," the prime minister joked.


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