ANZOC 2011 Dr Jann Karp PhD j.karp@bigpond

1. ANZOC 2011 Dr Jann Karp PhD j.karp@bigpond.com

2. How drivers within the interstate trucking industry distribute and maintain illegal drug use: Federal Regional and Local Implications. An Australian mobile work site engaged in the movement of illegal drugs through established networks.

3. Ethical statement. This research: • included a commitment to provide outcomes that would not only broaden peoples knowledge but contribute to local, regional and Federal involvement in this industry; • required confidentiality in the field and ongoing protection of identities until the conclusion of the work; • Periods of engagement in the field (not including driving a truck); • Acknowledging and providing feedback to the trucking industry and the indigenous community(as applicable); • Maintaining boundaries when engagement in the industry included possible knowledge of or physical proximity to criminal activity; and • Advising all participants in the researcher that mandatory reporting of serious offences is a requirement for the researcher.

4. Methodology Transport Workers Union(TWU) has supported my attendance at conferences by paying for conference fees. No funding obligations. Limitations to the studies: Eastern seaboard. Literature: International journals, Owner driver magazines and internet associations and unions. Subjects: 21 taped interviews in situ. 3 hand note interviews. Total subjects 24 male interstate drivers. Ages 40 to 70 years of age all professional career drivers. Interviews: On the road, sitting in the truck long hours of engagement. Observations: Meal and health issues, language, work place safety issues and taking direction from the drivers (log cabin affect), health issue fatigue for the researcher. Transcribing:- language difficulties, technical terms, work terms and cultural nuances. Reports: One journal article published International Interdisciplinary Social Science Journal 2010. Book: Conversations with Truckies Looking at Life Through Glass. Time Frame: Four Years.

5. Structure

7. Conversation 1:“I don't know why they do it?” • “Doctors have clamped down on it so hard. I reckon at least the truckie is and was …talking to a professional. The doctor was monitoring his health. He was getting a medically a proven pharmaceutical that was better than when they got other stuff somewhere else and that killed all of them. The truckies went to use speed (amphetamine) which some kid makes up in his kitchen. The drug costs them ten times as much and has far more health effects”.

8. Conversation 2: Using amphetamine • “So someone on ‘two eight balls’ which is 7 grams snorted or injected this gives drivers possibly, with an old time user, you can go through a gram easily, and if you took a gram everyday then you could drive and not sleep but badly need to sleep after a week. • The longer you stay awake the more distorted your visual and mental perception and thinking becomes. It used to be about $90 a gram but the price fluctuates. • You can get it cheaper and if you buy in bulk you get it cheaper again. Contact with Road Traffic Authority officers, fear of police and time line issues will increase feelings of stress mixed with paranoia. This makes blokes do the opposite of that which they are suppose to be doing. • Drivers know and feel the increased regulations, now resulting in experiencing, the type of physical sickness that needs to be fixed” (Describes cycle of personal conflict).

9. Conversation 3: Supply So you are at a terminal, you’re going to make a delivery. You’re desperate to pick something up to take back and you don’t care if its contraband or not. So you have to know the bloke on the console? (The job allocator). Jim: He has to know whether you’ve been hanging around a couple of days or anything like that. I mean they check you out pretty well. Jann: Alright but he is the one distributing work for the terminal? Jim: Yeh.  Jann: In New South Wales concerning terminals where that type of network is happening how many centre’s or terminals would you guess are involved in some type of illegal deal? Jim: If I had a guess I could arrange one tomorrow just out of Sydney. I could arrange one here on the coast road alone. I know of at least ten places. Jann: On the coast? Jim: That’s on it from Brisbane to Melbourne - the East Coast. Driver estimated users on the road at 30 percent. My conservative estimate is 20 percent. NB Mandatory reporting of serious offences, knowledge of an indictable crime otherwise researcher is committing a criminal offence:

10. Conversation 4: Intersection: Local Driver to National economy. Do you know how many ships are in wharfs from Singapore and China there are at the moment only 300 hundred. We are earning half per week compared to recently when there would be 800 ships. The ships don’t arrive, particularly as the deliveries do not arrive. The monopolies X..X bought Virgin Coles within X..X which is part of Toll Holdings I think that is now called…. Asian Australian…X..X ..bought Patrick’s Stevedores. P and O sold and now I think they have become, CTAL, wharf. The shipping now is important as Patrick’s has their own wharf (Autumn, 2008).

11. Discussion • Regulations:www.lawlink/boscar NSW March Quarterly report. Last two years high % increase in fines issued traffic regulatory offences in the transport industry and marked increase in amphetamine offences. Limitation of data no occupational category descriptions provided • Drug testing increase in New South Wales supply and using offences • Road Traffic Authority. • Allocators role in corruption and criminality. • Company responsibility. • Individual responsibility. • Drivers desired outcomes.

12. Thank you for attending this presentation.