- Indian-origin truck drivers report verbal slurs and death threats on citizen band radios in Australia
- Drivers rarely report abuse due to anonymity, language barriers, and distrust of authorities
- The Australian Human Rights Commission calls for systemic action to address industry racism
For Jaswinder Boparai, one phone call to his wife became a moment he says he will carry for the rest of his life.
While speaking in Punjabi at a truck stop in South Australia, someone spat on him and disappeared before he could even react. The attacker was another truck driver.
"That is one incident, which I will never forget because it's humiliating," said Jaswinder, an Australian citizen and father of two who runs a small trucking fleet.
The incident was far from isolated, according to a report by ABC News.
Indian-origin truck drivers across Australia say racist abuse has become a grim reality of the job, ranging from verbal taunts and slurs to explicit death threats broadcast over citizens band (CB) radios, equipment primarily used by truckers to warn one another about accidents, road hazards and traffic conditions.
Every Indian-origin driver interviewed by ABC News said they had repeatedly faced racism while working on Australian roads. Yet very few complaints ever reach authorities, with drivers citing anonymous perpetrators, language barriers, lack of awareness about workplace rights and little faith that reporting incidents would lead to action.
Narinder Singh said he spent a decade working in New Zealand's freight sector but lasted only eight months in Australia's trucking industry before deciding he had had enough.
An emergency forced him to briefly park his truck in the wrong place, but he says the backlash quickly turned personal.
He recalled being mocked for wearing a turban and called a "currymuncher". According to him, minor mistakes attracted far harsher reactions than those made by non-migrant drivers.
"They'll swear profanity, show you fingers, tell you to go back, and call you names," he said.
Narinder said he had poured his "heart and soul into the industry" but eventually walked away because the constant hostility became too much to bear.
For driver Pippal Singh, the abuse has become so disturbing that he barely switches on his CB radio anymore.
He has recorded messages directed at Indian drivers that include chilling threats.
"There's a civil war coming. We're going kill all the f***ing male Indians, were going to drown all the f***ing kids and sell all the women ..."
"You filthy Indian c**** wouldn't f***ing stand up to a f***ing white man, the f***in p**fters."
"A good Indian is a dead Indian," says one radio user.
"Why would anyone turn this thing on? There's no point," Pippal said.
The consequences extend beyond offensive language. Drivers say many now avoid listening to or speaking on CB radios altogether, even though the devices are an important tool for sharing safety alerts on long-haul routes.
Truck driver Sukhpal Singh said identifying those responsible is nearly impossible because CB users are not required to reveal their names or locations.
The Australian Human Rights Commission acknowledged to ABC News that racist behaviour exists within the road freight industry. However, it said pursuing individual complaints is "very difficult" when offenders cannot be identified. The commission added that employers have a responsibility to protect workers from psychosocial harm and called for a broader, "systemic approach" to tackling racism in the industry.
The reports come at a time when Australia is increasingly dependent on migrant workers to keep freight moving. Census data shows Indians have been the country's fastest-growing migrant community over the past decade, filling critical labour shortages in transport and logistics.
Despite that reliance, the industry continues to face a severe workforce crunch. The International Road Transport Union estimated in 2024 that Australia was short nearly 28,000 heavy vehicle drivers as experienced workers retired and too few younger Australians entered the profession.
This week Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrapped up his third visit to Australia, a trip that culminated in a high-profile appearance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and produced a fresh framework of cooperation spanning trade, defence, cybersecurity and critical minerals.
