'A good Indian is a dead Indian': Radio recordings reveal racism against migrant truck drivers in Australia

While India and Australia are working to bolster bilateral ties, a persistent problem Indians have been facing in the country remains unnoticed. There has been a growing trend of Indian truck drivers facing racism in Australia, with many threatening to kill them or worse.

The plight of the drivers, many of whom are already citizens of Australia, is shared in an ABC News documentary. It is pertinent to note that Australia has a long tradition of trucking, so much so that without them the nation comes to a halt.

However, behind this well-oiled machine lies a problem that no one knows how to fix. The issue is taking a massive toll on many migrant drivers. All the Indian-born truck drivers the ABC News spoke to shared how they face racial slurs and systemic exploitation, even as they fill critical freight shortages.

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Many Indian-born truckies—who now make up a major portion of the migrant workforce in Australia—are regularly targeted on regional and interstate highways. In the documentary, a truck driver named Pippal Singh recorded death threats directed at his community over the two-way CB radio while driving between Melbourne and Adelaide.

"There's a civil war coming. We're going kill all the f***ing male Indians, we're 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," an Australian man was heard saying.

Another radio user was heard saying: "A good Indian is a dead Indian". As a result, many Indian truck drivers now avoid using the radio as much as possible. "Why would anyone turn this thing on? There's no point," Pippal told ABC News. This kind of scrutiny also exists on social media groups, with many sharing racist memes ridiculing truck drivers of South Asian descent.

The issue remains unnoticed by the authorities

According to the country's census data, Indians have been Australia's fastest-growing migrant group for the past decade, with many filling chronic labour shortages in the freight industry. In the year 2024, the International Road Transport Union estimated that Australia was short about 28,000 heavy vehicle drivers, as veteran drivers retired and few Australian-born young people took their place.

However, for many sikh and Punjabi migrants, truck driving comes naturally because of their past connection with farming and the transport industry in India. "It's kind of in my blood," Jaswinder, a truck driver, told ABC News. "My dad had his own transport company back in India, and so I just loved trucks from day one," he said.

However, many Indian born drivers have to hear abuse from others over the CB radio, which is generally used to share safety information about traffic conditions and hazards. These instances make them hesitant to share updates or even listen to it.

The relatively short range of the radios — up to 30 kilometres — means exchanges are fleeting. Many of those passing the racist slurs don't identify themselves, making it harder to report to the authorities.

Sarah Anderson, a professor of Workplace Health, Safety and Wellbeing at Monash University, told ABC News there was little data about the extent of racism directed at overseas-born truck drivers in Australia, but the problem was well-documented in the United States, the United Kingdom and Europe.

"The minute we add racism or aggression to a truck driver who needs attention to detail, who needs good decision-making, we're actually impacting their ability to do their job safely," Professor Anderson explained.

"This kind of behaviour is causing health problems, it's causing work safety problems, and it's causing road safety problems, so it does need to be regulated," she said. It is pertinent to note that acts of racism and discrimination are illegal under Australia's state and territory criminal law. However, most of these cases remain unreported.

The e impracticality of identifying and reporting truck drivers, and feelings of vulnerability and distrust of authorities, made it hard for migrant drivers to report the matter. "If that is normalised and accepted in Australia, where should I complain and what would my complaint [be]?" Pippal remarked.

Meanwhile, the Australian Human Rights Commission said it was aware of racist conduct by people working in the road freight industry. Out of the 12 complaints the commission has received since July 2023 from people working in or associated with the truck industry, two involved individuals who identified as Indian or Sikh. This reflects how the issue remains unaddressed.