Constituency Question – 10 December 2020
Minister, how many fines have been issued by the regulator to enforce this law in the last 12 months, and does the minister have confidence in the regulator’s plan to stop all the illegal activity?
QANTAS lost its way!
Despite our support for Qantas, it is letting down its workers when they need it most. This is not the spirit of Australia, and I condemn Qantas for these actions.
Rod wins important vote for taxi and hire car industry
Today in Parliament Rod delivered his rebuttal stating that the pain and financial devastation that Taxi and Car Hire licence holders have endured.
Members Statement
Today I would like to express my gratitude to the wonderful members that helped get the Transport Matters Party re-registered only last week. It is only with your support that I can stand here today fighting on your behalf.
Media release – Held to Account
Held to Account: Parliament holds Taxi Licences are Property!
Rod Barton’s motion to repair the damage caused by the 2017 Commercial Passenger Vehicle reforms, acknowledging the arbitrary payments to licence holders and need for sufficient compensation, has passed in legislative council 19 to 18.
Mr Barton, Transport Matters MP, moved the motion, calling on the government to continue the conversation to fairly compensate former perpetual Taxi and Hire Car licence owners for the revocation of their licences in 2017.
‘Deregulation has caused a glut of commercial passenger vehicles on our roads threatening the viability of the industry and pushing driver exploitation to new heights.’ Mr Barton stated.
Cross bencher, Mr Hayes rose in support of the motion stating Uber should have been prosecuted in 2014 as they were doing the same things as taxis without authority – instead ‘the government let them go…rendering taxi licences worthless’.
This motion recognised that hundreds of perpetual taxi and car hire licences owners were paid a pittance for the revocation of their licences back in 2017. Further, that the arbitrary transition assistance payments they were given were grossly inadequate and unfair.
‘I applaud the Cross Bench and the Opposition for their support. I am pleased that my fellow members agree that as elected representatives we have a social and economic responsibility to adopt a plan to properly compensate and restructure the industry in the interest of fairness and restoring this industry.’
Mr Barton looks forward to bringing a proposal to the Government early next year, which is aimed to repair the past and create a pathway to move forward.
The Liberal Democrats members David Limbrick and Tim Quilty along with the Labor Party rejected the motion.
Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Metropolitan and the Leader of the Transport Matters Party Rod Barton MP:
‘Thanks to the Cross Bench and the Opposition for their support and commitment to the Taxi and Hire Car Industry. We now have a chance to heal the damage caused and restore this industry back to its former glory’
ENDS
Media contact: Norm Dunn, Chief of Staff Rod Barton MP, 0438 175 113 Norm.dunn@parliament.vic.gov.au
Media Release – QANTAS lost its way!
I call on the Victorian Minister for Industrial Relations call upon the airline to halt the outsourcing of Victorian jobs and creating an environment of insecure work.
State Taxation Acts Amendment Bill 2020
Over the past few weeks we have heard over and over again that this budget is the dressing for Victoria’s wounds, that it is the force that will drive all Victorians onwards and upwards out of this pandemic. We all hope so.
QWN – Cameras in Commercial Passenger Vehicles
Tuesday 8th December 2020
Today Rod asked if it was now time to have cameras in Rideshare vehicles for the safety of drivers and their passengers.
Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (11:26): My question today is for Minister Pulford representing the Minister for Public Transport, Ben Carroll. The gig is up. The taxi company known as Uber is just that—just another taxi company. Recent media reports have shown violence committed against their drivers, and there have been difficulties in pursuing charges against these people who have assaulted these drivers. My question, Minister, is: is it not time, for the protection of not only drivers but also the travelling public, that all rideshare vehicles should have cameras fitted?
Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business) (11:27): I thank Mr Barton for his question and his ongoing interest in this industry, and I will seek a written response from Mr Carroll for him.
Cameras in Commercial Passenger Vehicles
Today Rod asked if it was now time to have cameras in Rideshare vehicles for the safety of drivers and their passengers.
Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (11:27): Thank you, Minister. Whilst we address the issue of cameras in commercial passenger vehicles, is it not now time for Victoria to fall in line with other jurisdictions in Australia and have cameras with sound and vision recorded to protect drivers and the travelling public?
Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business) (11:28): Again, I will take the opportunity to take that question on notice for Minister Carroll, who will provide a written response.
Music lessons in Schools
My constituency question today is for Minister Education.
Anastasia a year 10 student in my electorate contacted my staff to ask, why at present, the Dept. Education and Training restrictions on woodwind, brass and singing, limits school classes to five students per space indoors and 2 metres apart. These restrictions make group music lessons simply infeasible.
I believe this is at odds with the restrictions on other close contact activities such as school camps and contact sports, which have been allowed to go ahead.
Music is an important aspect of education that provides immense benefits for student’s development.
It is so important that we prioritise keeping students engaged and feeling positive amidst the huge challenges of this pandemic. Enabling music lessons will contribute to doing just that.
So the information I seek, what is the COVID safe plan which will facilitate the full return of music education?
CQ Music 26Nov2020
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Media Release – Project Update: Airport Rail Link Funding Announced – But who will pick up the shortfall?
If the pandemic has taught us one thing, it is that public ownership would reduce the need for the government to step in and subsidise international corporate giants managing public services in a financial downturn