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MAHATMA GANDHI ~ Truth never damages a cause that is just.
Zack Schofield has told ABC News some of his crew members were beaten and shot point-blank with rubber bullets. (ABC News)
In short:
Zack
Schofield was one of six Australians detained this past week by the
Israeli navy after taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla, an attempt
to break Israel's blockade of Gaza by delivering humanitarian aid to the
territory.
He alleges he and
his crewmates endured a violent and distressing ordeal during their time
in Israeli custody, and says he witnessed at least 10 of his fellow
crew members being heavily beaten.
What's next?
Mr
Schofield is now on the Greek island of Crete, where he was taken to
hospital after being released by the IDF, but says he intends to
continue to sail on to Gaza as part of the flotilla.
An
Australian activist detained by Israeli officials after joining a
flotilla attempting to deliver aid to Gaza has described what he says
was a violent and distressing ordeal at sea that left many of his
crewmates injured.
Zack Schofield was one of three Australians taken to hospital on Friday
after being released by Israeli authorities on the Greek island of
Crete, having spent up to the previous 40 hours detained on board an
Israeli ship.
"All of my crew
were placed in stress positions and forced to walk with our heads down;
we were grabbed by our hair and moved around the ship," Mr Schofield
told the ABC on Saturday night.
"We
were very forcefully searched, multiple times, and had all of our
possessions stolen [or] thrown in the ocean — and our boat was sunk,
including all of our possessions on board."
Mr
Schofield said he was lucky compared with some of his fellow crew
members, estimating at least 10 or 12 people suffered concussions or
broken ribs, and that he saw some people shot by rubber bullets at
point-blank range.
"I witnessed violence perpetrated against many of my friends," he said.
"A
friend of mine from the American delegation was taken into a shipping
container and beaten by three Israeli soldiers with the butts of their
rifles and batons, and was kicked repeatedly in the testicles.
"I
saw elderly men shot at point-blank range with rubber bullets. I saw a
young woman, part of my crew, punched in the ribs about 10 or 11 times.
"I accompanied her to hospital when we landed in Crete. She is very injured."
The ABC has not
independently verified Mr Schofield's claims, and a spokesperson from
Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied any of the flotilla's
passengers had been mistreated.
"During
the process of transferring the passengers to Greek forces, a number of
passengers refused the transfer and began rioting violently," the
spokesperson said.
"In order to
address the violence and complete the transfer, a policing unit
operating aboard IDF vessels was compelled to use force to move some of
the passengers who were violently resisting.
"At
no point were the passengers mistreated, and all use of force was in
direct response to violence and physical resistance on the part of the
rioters."
IDF 'flooded deck' to wake crew, activist says
Mr
Schofield said while some of the crew had slept inside shipping
containers on board the Israeli ship, he was forced to sleep outside.
"There
wasn't room for everyone [in the shipping containers], so myself and
others were made to sleep outside on rubber mats with no blankets or any
protection from the elements," he said.
"The
Israelis flooded the deck with sea water at least a couple of times on
the ship every night, to wake us up and make sure our mats were wet."
Greek Coast Guard vessels took the crew members from an Israeli vessel. (Reuters: Stefanos Rapanis)
"We
are trying to get food and medicine to Gaza. We are not trying to seek
attention, we are trying to provide material support," Mr Schofield told
the ABC.
"I'm not sure how anyone could argue we are just doing this to gain attention.
"The
fact Israel travelled over 1,000 kilometres through international
waters west of Crete to attack us and detain us … is unfathomable."
Mr Schofield is still in Crete, but says he intends to continue to sail on to Gaza as part of the flotilla.
At
up to 1.8 metres in length and weighing more than 50 kilograms, the
Murray cod is the apex predator of Australia's inland waterways.
An
adult "pondi" (its Ngarrindjeri name) cruises the country's rivers and
creeks — from the Campaspe in central Victoria to the Condamine in
Queensland — undaunted by any native rival.
Even European carp make themselves itself scarce when a big cod is on the prowl.
Murray cod will feed on juvenile carp. (supplied: Victorian Fisheries Authority)
But during the 1970s they all but disappeared from much of their range across the Murray-Darling Basin.
Now the big fish of the basin is on the way back.
The decline
Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii) and related species such as trout cod (Maccullochella macquariensis), eastern freshwater cod (Maccullochella ikei) and Mary River cod (Maccullochella mariensis) once dominated the rivers of the Murray-Darling Basin.
However,
overfishing (especially commercial fishing from the late 19th century
into the mid-20th century), the building of vast dams like Lake Hume
which altered water flows, and habitat degradation resulted in a drastic
decline.
Commercial fishing took its toll on Murray cod numbers up until the mid-20th century. (Supplied: Stuart Rowland)
"In
the 1970s and 1980s, even into the 1990s, so many of our recreational
fishers told us Murray cod were very hard to come by," Victorian
Fisheries Authority (VFA) recreational fisheries manager Taylor Hunt
said.
Murray cod is still
classified as vulnerable according to the Australian Environment
Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act, but the trend is positive.
Taylor Hunt with an Ovens River Murray cod. (supplied: Victorian Fisheries Authority)
The recovery
An
electrofishing survey of the Ovens River in Victoria found more than
110 Murray cod per kilometre, with flourishing populations in the
Goulburn and Loddon rivers as well.
Meanwhile,
the Lindsay River and Mullaroo Creek cod, devastated by blackwater fish
kills in 2022, have recovered to pre-2021 levels.
Craig Eury and daughter Charlie with a large Murray cod they caught in Lake Eildon. (supplied: Craig Eury)
Dr Hunt said the VFA's scientific research and angler feedback were telling him a similar story.
"We've seen an amazing resurgence in Murray cod numbers and now they are back and in good condition," he said.
"We
see this in our scientific surveys, and we've just completed a big
study of recreational fishers where we asked about their own
experiences.
"People are telling us they see cod everywhere."
"They are seeing lots of big ones, lots of them within the legal limit, and lots of little ones coming through as well."
The VFA survey had more than 3,500 responses.
More
than 90 per cent supported Murray cod conservation efforts, including
catch-and-release and adopting ways to handle caught fish in a manner
that improves their chances of survival once let go.
The
legal catch limit for Murray cod in NSW and Victoria is 55cm to 75cm,
with strict bag limits (one per person in Victorian rivers, and two in
NSW and in specified Victorian lakes). Smaller and larger fish must be
released.
Angler Kate Norman with a massive cod. Murray cod can grow to more than 1.8m. (supplied: Kate Norman)
"In
many rivers in Victoria, we have seen more than two-to-five-fold
increases in the numbers of Murray cod since the 1990s," Dr Hunt said.
"This includes the Goulburn River, Ovens, Campaspe, Broken Creek, Broken River, and Gunbower Creek.
"It's
a similar story in our lakes. In Lake Eildon, for example, there has
been an 81 per cent increase in Murray cod numbers in just five years
between 2014 and 2019."
Dr
Hunt said the increases across Victoria were thanks to a combination of
fish production and stocking, habitat restoration, fishing regulations
and size limits, and improved recreational fishing practices, such as
increased voluntary catch-and-release.
There was good news across many tributaries in New South Wales as well, including the Murrumbidgee River and Edward River.
Not all good news
The
Darling River, however, represented an ecological disaster, according
to retired research scientist with NSW Fisheries Stuart Rowland.
While there was a concerted effort to restore cod populations in other streams, the Darling has been neglected.
And
according to Dr Rowland, known as The Codfather for his lifetime study
of the species, where cod is absent, carp numbers explode.
Dr Stuart Rowland says native fish are the victims of river mismanagement. (Supplied: Stuart Rowland)
"The
Darling River ecosystem, where the top predator has largely
disappeared, it has damaged the whole food chain," Dr Rowland said.
"The
aquatic fauna has so changed (due to carp), it has altered the aquatic
flora drastically. That's why we have things like toxic blue-green algae
blooms.
"All species are important in an ecosystem but perhaps the most important is the top predator. It shapes the entire ecosystem."
Stunning surveys
Electrofishing
is a survey method used by researchers to physically count fish within a
specific area. The data is then used to extrapolate a broader
population.
It involves running
up to 1,000 volts of direct current through the water which stuns any
fish within a 5m radius without harming them. Researchers then catch and
count each fish and, in the case of native species, release them back
into the wild.
Electrofishing allows researchers to stun fish within a small area, count them, and return them unharmed to the water. (supplied: Victorian Fisheries Authority)
Recent
electrofishing surveys across Victoria paint a positive picture for
Murray cod but also illustrate the threat to other inland aquatic
species.
The VFA estimates European carp populations to be 30 times higher than record levels before Victoria's 2022 floods.
A European carp. When cod disappears from a waterway, carp populations often explode at the expense of native flora and fauna. (Supplied: UNSW)
"Murray
cod is ahead of a lot of our native species because they grow so big.
They can grow much bigger than carp," Dr Hunt said.
"For a lot of our other native fish the overabundance of carp is still pushing down their numbers.
"We'd love to see more control programs for carp like we see for rabbits, foxes and other pest species.
"All
the evidence is there to show we can have these wins so we can also
bring back trout, Macquarie perch and yellowbelly (golden perch), and
more of our small-bodied native fish."
State of play
Murray cod populations vary across south-eastern Australian states, according to Dr Hunt and Dr Rowland.
Lake Eildon
(Vic) — Australia's best big Murray cod fishery with trophy sized fish
(over a metre long and up 30kg) being caught by anglers daily. Since
1990 the VFA has stocked Lake Eildon with more than 6.3 million Murray
cod. Between 2014 and 2019 there was an 81 per cent increase in overall
numbers.
Campaspe River (Vic)–
Huge increases in Murray cod numbers, particularly since 2019. Stocking
of 100,000 Murray cod per year, combined with habitat restoration are
likely contributors.
Goulburn River
(Vic) — One of Victoria's most popular rivers for Murray cod fishers
with a flourishing population. An electrofishing survey saw 60 Murray
cod caught and released. There is strong Murray cod breeding downstream
of Goulburn Weir as well.
Loddon River
(Vic) — Murray cod have gradually increased since 2014 thanks to
stocking of up to 160,000 fish per year, combined with habitat
restoration and improving river health.
Lindsay River-Mullaroo Creek (Vic)
— Reputedly home of some of Australia's biggest Murray cod. Numbers
have resurged since the 2022 blackwater event which devastated the
population.
Ovens River
(Vic) — Considered Australia's healthiest river for Murray cod. An
electrofishing survey in the Ovens netted 185 Murray cod, ranging in
size from 50mm to close to a metre. The Ovens also supports populations
of other threatened native fish including trout cod and Macquarie perch.
Voluntary catch-and-release by anglers has contributed to the Murray cod's recovery. (Supplied: James Norney)
Murrumbidgee River (NSW) — Described as a very healthy population with high angler catch rates.
Darling River (NSW)
— Once a stronghold for Murray cod when the fish was under threat
elsewhere. Now a river of greatest concern, with a dramatic decline in
Murray cod numbers.
Lower Murray River (SA) — There remains concern about the amount of Murray cod in South Australia because breeding has been very limited.
A billboard in Tehran depicting Donald Trump shows the anti-US sentiment in Iran. (Reuters/WANA: Majid Asgaripour)
Hi,
I'm ABC Global affairs editor Laura Tingle and I'm in Jerusalem. This
is our weekly update on what's been going on in the Middle East war and
what to look for in the days ahead.
Here's what you should know now:
The jockeying and chest thumping in Tehran and Washington about who is going to blink first has continued for another week, most recently after Iran issued a new 14-point proposal for a peace deal, which it sent to Pakistan on Thursday. The proposal reportedly includes demands that the US lift the naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, as well as sanctions on Iran, all hostilities including in Lebanon, and the withdrawal of all US forces in the region.
You might notice there is no mention of the future of Iran's nuclear capabilities, nor any real shift in Iran's claims to be able to control the Strait of Hormuz.
It is now almost a month since the current ceasefire came into force on
April 8, with little sign of progress. The US and Iran have continued
to attack, capture, and intercept each other's ships in the Strait of
Hormuz. US President Donald Trump told Israeli media overnight the Iranian proposal was "not acceptable to me".
Both
sides continue to insist that they are winning, with the US variously
claiming the Iranian regime is splintering and that the economic
sanctions it is imposing means the regime cannot even pay its soldiers.
For its part, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
(IRGC) and foreign ministry officials have told the US that it must
choose between an "impossible military operation" or a "bad deal" (for
the US), setting a 30-day deadline for the US to lift
its naval blockade of Iranian ports. There have also been a number of
reports that damage to US bases in the region is much more extensive
than had previously been known, with suggestions some have been left
almost inoperable.
Relationships among Gulf countries are fracturing, with the United Arab Emirates announcing it will leave the OPEC
oil cartel, in a move seen as being as much about geopolitics as oil.
The UAE is increasingly aligning itself much more firmly and publicly
with Israel and the US, with reports emerging that Israel
supplied air defence systems to the Emiratis from the earliest days of
the war, as the UAE faced the biggest Iranian bombardment of any
country, including Israel. And there are now reports the Trump
administration is seeking to fast-track $US8.6 billion ($11.9 billion) of arms sales to allies in the Middle East, including Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, to assist them fend off further Iranian attacks.
Here's what to watch in the days ahead:
The terrible conditions in Gaza,
as well as the creeping occupation of Israel into the Strip and
continued killings, have taken a back seat in the news in recent months.
But there are increasing reports that Israel is considering a renewed assault on Gaza amid few signs that Hamas is going to give up its weapons or its control over what remains of the Strip.
The Israeli cabinet was due to meet to discuss this overnight, Australian time. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instead had a smaller meeting with security officials.
A
senior official in the Israeli military's general staff told Channel 15
that an additional round of fighting was "almost inevitable", citing
Hamas's refusal to surrender its weapons and the alleged "failure" of
the International Stabilization Force, a multinational body deployed under the recent truce framework to oversee security and manage the ceasefire's implementation.
Israel's
Army Radio reported that on the ground, the military had steadily been
enlarging the territory it controlled in the enclave. By gradually
pushing the "Yellow Line" westwards, Israeli forces have expanded their territorial control to 59 per cent of the Strip.
Meanwhile, the situation in Lebanon has
not been improving despite a ceasefire supposedly also being in place
there, with 20 more civilians killed and 46 wounded by the Israel
Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday, according to the Lebanese Health
Ministry, and reports of Hezbollah attacks in northern Israel.
Israel's
actions in southern Lebanon, where it has been demolishing whole
villages it links to Hezbollah across a wide swathe of the south, have
been likened to its strategy in Gaza.
And here's what I'll be keeping an eye on:
You've all seen the images of increasingly blatant violence against Palestinians in the West Bank from, and around, settler communities. The pace of expansion of settlements has seemed to increase exponentially and now includes more than 700,000 Israelis.
What's
less obvious in the pictures is the increasing economic, legal and
administrative stranglehold being applied to Palestinian communities
since October 7, 2023, but particularly at an escalating pace in the
past couple of months, which also seeks to reduce the role and powers of
the Palestinian Authority.
Analysts say it is these measures that show Israel is preparing to annex the West Bank, not just occupy it.
For
example, since February, Israel has opened the land market to direct
purchase by Israelis and "renewed" the land-registration process in what
is known as Area C for the first time since 1967, when Israel captured
the West Bank from Jordan in the Six-Day War.
Israel
is also now expanding its control over water, environment, heritage and
archaeology in other areas of the West Bank administered by the
Palestinian Authority.
Palestinian
communities in the West Bank find themselves locked behind gates in
increasingly small areas, facing the economic difficulties that have
come with not being allowed into Israel to work since the October 7 attacks.
Thanks for joining me. We'll be back with another briefing next Monday.
Anwar
Gargash, the powerful diplomatic adviser to the UAE's president, said
this week that tensions with Iran had reached a "watershed moment" for
Gulf security. (Reuters: Hamad I Mohammed)
Amid
the renewed rumblings of a return to direct hostilities between the
United States and Iran, and fervent attempts by analysts to make sense
of what either countries' leadership is actually doing, you may have
heard a sharp cracking sound this week.
That
sound emanated from the Persian Gulf, where long-simmering tensions
between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates finally broke into the
open with the declaration that the UAE would be leaving the oil cartel,
the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
If
oil markets were operating normally, there would have been a lot more
market reaction to this decision's direct impact on oil prices.
But
in the absence of those conditions, the much broader geo-strategic
significance of what the move represented was left for all to ponder.
The United Arab Emirates has announced that it will leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. (REUTERS: Dado Ruvic/ File)
UAE at odds with Gulf neighbours
The
indications are that the UAE, OPEC's third largest producer, is also in
conflict with most of its Gulf neighbours, and specifically with Saudi
Arabia — which regards itself as the leader of the region — on strategy
over Iran, as well more everyday issues such as economic development.
If
anyone was in any doubt, Anwar Gargash, the powerful diplomatic adviser
to the UAE's president, said this week that tensions with Iran had
reached a "watershed moment" for Gulf security and urged a fundamental
reassessment of longstanding policies towards Tehran.
"A defining station in the modern history of the Gulf" had been reached, he said. "This is not a passing crisis."
Gargash
also delivered a blunt assessment of Gulf policy towards Tehran, saying
efforts to contain tensions through diplomacy, trade and regional
engagement had "failed miserably".
"For
years, each Gulf state pursued its own model of containment," he said,
citing mediation initiatives, shared energy projects and economic ties.
"None delivered lasting security."
The
Gargash interventions were a significant escalation in the UAE's
rhetoric from that seen earlier in the conflict, when it kept
emphasising the injustice of being under attack by Iran when Gulf states
had urged both Israel and the US to not attack Iran.
UAE
Minister for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy dismissed any
suggestion that the UAE might also harbour anger against the US and
Israel for starting the conflict. (Reuters: Ciro De Luca)
For
example, in mid-March, UAE Minister for International Cooperation Reem
Al Hashimy said: "It's been pretty unprecedented, what's happened, and
almost unhinged, I would say, to have Iran lash out at the very people
who've been calling for de-escalation, who've been calling for this war
to never actually even start, which has really taken us by surprise."
Al Hashimy dismissed any suggestion that the UAE might also harbour anger against the US and Israel for starting the conflict.
"Independent
of how this began, the retaliatory measures that Iran has taken to
attack the Gulf states are really where the issue we have is," she told
the ABC.
"I have to highlight
here that Iran isn't simply attacking military bases that have not
launched a single missile from them, because we've made it clear that
our territory would not be used to launch an attack against Iran.
"They are actually targeting civilian infrastructure as well, whether it's an airport or it's oil tankers."
Asked
if the attacks would make the UAE reconsider hosting US bases, Al
Hashimy said: "Quite the contrary. Our relationship with the US is a
long-standing strategic partnership.
"It's a partnership that doesn't falter in moments of crisis, but has been built on decades of trust and mutual respect.
"We've
been long-standing partners of the US, long-standing partners of
Australia as well. And this doesn't deter us, because we're also a
resilient bunch, and we don't take to being bullied around, either."
But the diplomatic repercussions of this criticism have now crystallised in the Gargash remarks.
'I expected such a weak position'
The
failure of the approaches of Gulf states to Iran, Gargash said this
week, required a comprehensive review of Gulf strategy, including
defence coordination, diplomatic engagement and relations with major
partners such as the United States.
"It
is true that, logistically, the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council]
countries supported each other, but politically and militarily, I think
their position was the weakest in history," Reuters reported Gargash
telling a conference in the UAE on Monday.
He
did not spare the two other major umbrella bodies that have in the past
presented a mostly unified Gulf front to the rest of the world: the GCC
and the Arab League.
"I
expected such a weak position from the Arab League, and I am not
surprised by it, but I have not expected it from the GCC, and I am
surprised by it."
For its part,
the Emirates would "scrutinise" its regional and international
relations to "determine who can be relied upon", pairing that review
with measures to strengthen the UAE's economic and financial position.
"Strategic autonomy remains the UAE's enduring choice," Gargash has said.
The
UAE has decided to much more conspicuously side with the US — and
perhaps more significantly — Israel, than any regional power has in the
past.
This is despite the fact
that the decision by the US and Israel to go to war against Iran
resulted in the UAE facing the biggest onslaught of Iranian missiles and
drones of any country in the region, including Israel.
It
represents a major win for Israel's ambitions to be the new hegemonic
power in the region, and an even more clouded picture of how the
conflict between Iran, Israel and the US may be resolved.
And
it shows the first profound cleavage in which a Gulf country has left
open the possibility of taking Israel's side in a war — something the
Gulf states have all been very reluctant to do, no matter how much of a
threat they may have felt from Iran.
US President Trump on length of war
The significance for Australia
The
UAE's position has direct relevance to Australia. Gargash is just the
latest senior UAE official to talk of how the current crisis was showing
just who the tiny — but massively rich — state could rely on.
And
we make the cut, not just because we provided a Wedgetail
reconnaissance plane for "purely defensive purposes", but also because
we have one of our largest international air bases in the Emirates.
Emirati
political analyst Abdulkhaleq Abdulla tweeted through the week that the
"40-day Iranian missile and drone assault was a defining moment for the
UAE. It made one thing clear: who stood with us when it mattered".
"The shortlist: the USA, France, Britain, South Korea, Australia, Ukraine, Italy. Grateful to you all."
What standing with the UAE means is only now becoming clear.
The
Financial Times has just reported that Israel deployed a compact
drone-detection system called "Spectro" to the UAE during Iran's missile
and drone attacks, as well as Iron Dome batteries and the Iron Beam
laser defence system.
These systems reportedly came with a significant number of Israeli "boots on the ground".
The
Wall Street Journal reported that this was also the first time the Iron
Dome air defence system had been sent to another country, and that
flight-tracking websites show military transports have shuttled between
the Israeli air base of Nevatim and the UAE throughout the conflict
since February 28.
The fact this is all coming to light right now does leave open the question of how Iran approaches the UAE from now on.
The
Iranian state-owned Fars News Agency this week published three
so-called "rules of the game", which warned Donald Trump of a possible
ground invasion of Dubai and the UAE if American forces attempted a land
assault on Iranian territory.
The
UAE move also raises questions for the other Gulf states, which have
tried to maintain an uncomfortable balancing act between not provoking
Iran, cooperating with the US and Israel, and negotiating the fraught
world of political Islam and Arab unity.
The
shadow tussle between the UAE and Saudi has been going on for some
time, with the two Gulf nations backing conflicting sides in the
conflict in Yemen.
The talk in
Washington and Iran for this week has been of stalemate. But as the week
draws to a close the escalation has been starting again with reports of
air sirens in Tehran, Trump being advised on military options in
Washington, and even a report on Israeli television that Israel is
preparing to announce the failure of Iran negotiations, with the US
giving Israel immediate authorisation to strike Iran's energy facilities
after the announcement.
Trump's
earlier signalling that he will neither walk away from the war
declaring a victory or escalating it, but will try to starve out the
Iranians, all suggests there is no clear sign of how this war could end.
And
the possibility of the UAE not just becoming an even bigger target for
Iran, but possibly a direct combatant, if provoked, seems to only
escalate the risks.
There has been a 270 per cent increase in big ute sales since 2019. (ABC Wide Bay: Grace Whiteside)
In short:
The
National Transport Research Organisation is calling on the federal
government to tighten safety standards for imported large utes.
ANCAP Safety data shows there has been a 270 per cent increase in large ute sales since 2019.
What's next?
The
federal government says it continually reviews road vehicle standards
to ensure the market is "safe, secure and sustainable".
A
national vehicle safety body is lobbying the federal government to
raise safety standards for large, imported US-style pick-up trucks.
Since
2019, there has been a 270 per cent increase in sales of large utes in
Australia, like RAMs and Chevrolets, according to figures from the
Australasian New Car Assessment Program, commonly known as ANCAP
Safety.
While there is no
specific Australian crash data relating to big utes, ANCAP Safety said
data from the United States showed fatal pedestrian crashes involving
pick-ups were four times more likely to occur during a turn than those
involving cars.
US data also showed vehicles with bonnet heights above 1 metre were about 45 per cent more likely to cause pedestrian deaths.
ANCAP
says data from the US shows vehicles with bonnet heights above 1 metre
are about 45 per cent more likely to cause pedestrian deaths. (Supplied: ANCAP Safety)
National
Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) chief executive Michael
Caltabiano said the growing popularity of the vehicles in Australia
warranted a review of safety standards.
Michael Caltabiano is calling for importation standards for US-style utes to be lifted. (ABC News: Callum Finn)
"They're so high off the ground," he said.
"The bonnet sits so high that a child of 10 years old or younger cannot be seen.
"They're three to four-tonne vehicles, [which are] still regarded as passenger vehicles, C-class licence only required."
ANCAP is an independent body that crash-tests vehicles and conducts safety-technology assessments for consumers.
While
vehicles entering Australia must comply with Road Vehicle Standards
(RVS) legislation, they do not need to have an ANCAP Safety rating.
ANCAP tests crash avoidance technology, as well as other vehicle safety features. (Supplied: ANCAP Safety)
The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 received an ANCAP rating of Bronze last year, with a score of 27 per cent for collision avoidance.
Mr Caltabiano is calling for the government to raise importation safety standards, and to do so quickly.
"There
are safety requirements, and the federal government currently is
working on an international working group to standardise what that looks
like," he said.
"[But] we've
got to get to a point much, much quicker where we're only importing
vehicles with the latest safety technology to keep Australians safe."
The federal government says it ensures the market is "safe, secure and sustainable". (ABC Wide Bay: Grace Whiteside)
A
spokesperson from the Department of Infrastructure said all road
vehicles met safety, anti-theft and environmental emissions standards
through the RVS.
"We
continually review, consult on and update Australia's legislated
road-vehicle standards to ensure road vehicles in the Australian market
are safe, secure and sustainable," they said.
'Punching through' crash barriers
Mr Caltabiano also said safety infrastructure along Australian roads was not adequate for US-style utes.
"The
big utes will actually punch through our existing W-Beam barriers and
will overrun the existing wire-rope barriers," he said.
"They're bigger, they're faster, they're heavier, and they're punching through road crash barriers."
He said heavier vehicles also contributed to faster declines in road conditions.
"If
there is already a pre-existing pothole or cracked environment where
water can get in, they will accelerate the deterioration much, much
quicker than just an ordinary passenger car because of the weight and
the tyre size," Mr Caltabiano said.
Commercial category gaps
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) said more than 1.2 million new vehicles were sold in 2025.
ANCAP said more than 19,000 of those were large utes such as the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, the RAM 1500 and the Toyota Tundra.
Carla Hoorweg is eager to see the safety technology developed for passenger cars used in large utes. (Supplied: ANCAP Safety)
ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg said some large utes fell into an importation category where fewer regulations applied.
"That's
because they're not really a passenger car. They're a commercial
vehicle, in terms of the way things get categorised by the government,"
she said.
"Where regulation comes in … it sort of kicks up the bottom performers and sets a minimum threshold for them to perform to."
But she said it was pleasing to see many large ute manufacturers were already aiming for higher safety standards.
ANCAP says US-style pick-up trucks can fall into an importation category with fewer regulations. (Supplied: ANCAP Safety)
FCAI director Peter Griffin said manufacturers needed a "vehicle type approval" to import into Australia.
"That
new vehicle must meet all the relevant safety standards, environmental
standards, [and] performance standards that are mandated by the
government," he said.
Grant Marcus says it is too early to know how much large utes affect road safety in Australia. (ABC Wide Bay: Nikki Sorbello)
Bundaberg
police Chief Inspector Grant Marcus said while large utes were on his
radar, it was too early to know if they were having a significant impact
on road safety.
"Larger vehicles … when they collide with something, they're going to create more damage," he said.
"If they collide with a pedestrian or a cyclist or something like that, it could be quite catastrophic."
But Chief Inspector Marcus said the main cause of traffic incidents remained driver behaviour.
"Well
over 90 to 95 per cent of our crashes are as a result of poor driving
behaviour or driving negligence by people … not the size of the
vehicle," he said.
