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
Media Release – New Tax on Electric Vehicles Will Stall Emission Reductions in Transport Sector
The Government should be encouraging the uptake of electric vehicles, not introducing a tax that does the complete opposite.
Media Release – Repair the Past
‘The Commercial Passenger Vehicle reforms have torn through marriages, families and friendships in a way that only profound financial stress, inequality and uncertainty can. The government must step in and release this pressure.’
Media Release – Free Tram Expansion …. Denied!
The minority report recognises the struggle of our most vulnerable seniors and students; identifies the need to create an accessible and high-capacity tram network; and the benefits the Free Tram Zone creates for tourism, students, seniors, local residents, and our CBD.
Inquiry into expanding Melbourne’s Free Tram Zone – Report
I urge the Andrews Labor government to recognise that it is not the free tram zone that is the problem but an ageing tram network that is poorly managed and lacking accessibility, high-capacity trams and the sufficient collection of data.
Streamlined application for driver accreditation
Rod asked the government to step in and ensure an efficient and streamlined application process for driver accreditation by the CPPV is implemented in the interest of fairness.
Asking for justice: repair the suffering, pain and loss caused by the 2017 reforms.
Asking for Justice…Rod moved for the government to acknowledge that taxi licences were valuable items of property and to repair the damage of past reforms.
Members Statement – Reflection
Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (10:00): Last Friday I was having a moment of reflection, asking myself many questions after many weeks of personal abuse and asking myself: why am I here? Through that process I was wondering why I am not sitting on a Western Australian beach camped with my dog in my caravan with the bride. Why am I being here? But late in that day I received a text message and I thought, ‘Why won’t they leave me alone?’. But it was a very important text message. It was from a mother called Janet, mother of Alexia. She sent me a copy of a birth certificate. They were so excited because it was an amended birth certificate, something that we did in this Parliament a while ago. That made an old bloke cry, it made me stop thinking about a beach in Western Australia. I want to reflect: I am glad we do this sort of stuff.
Members Statement
A reflection….
Motion – Repairing the Past
Today Rod read in his motion which he will debate in the Upper House tomorrow afternoon.
Notice of Motion 24th November 2020
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I give notice that, on the next day of meeting, I will move —
That this House —
- acknowledges that —
- in 1998, the High Court of Australia determined that a taxi licence was a valuable item of property;
- since the commencement of the Commercial Passenger Vehicle Industry Act 2017, the revocation of perpetual Victorian taxi and hire car licences amounted to a compulsory government asset acquisition;
- the revocation of perpetual Victorian taxi and hire car licences for a fraction of their worth constitutes as a breach of the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006;
- arbitrary transition assistance payments in lieu of some, but not all, perpetual Victorian taxi and hire car licences was grossly inadequate and unfair;
- the deregulation of the industry in 2017 has —
- created a glut of commercial passenger vehicles on our roads;
- reduced driver income to well below minimum wage;
- threatened the economic viability of the industry;
- caused worsening traffic congestion;
- calls on the Andrews Government to —
(a) accept a financial proposal to properly compensate the industry for the compulsory asset acquisition of all perpetual Victorian taxi and hire car licences;
(b) make adjustments to the commercial passenger vehicle industry structure to better balance market components and end driver exploitation; and
(c) support a recovery plan to build back and move the commercial passenger vehicle industry forward through COVID-19.
Question – Food Delivery Rider Safety
These incidents are becoming all to frequent, these gig economy delivery companies have a duty of care to ensure their riders are competent as well as equipped with quality helmets, safety jackets and their scooters are in a roadworthy state