Rod Barton
Member Eastern Metropolitan Region in the Legislative Council
Contact Rod
Meet Rod
Rod was elected in November 2018 and is the founder of the Transport Matters Party along with his colleague Andre Baruch. After being involved in the taxi, limousine and hire car industry for more than 25 years, Rod saw a need for change.
Fighting for equality and fairness, Rod works tirelessly to bring effective legislative reforms and inquiries to the Victorian State Parliament.
Achievements
Rod’s achievements in Parliament include but are not limited to:
Made touting illegal in Victoria
Secured amendments to ensure a review of the governments’ Commercial Passenger Vehicle reforms.
Secured a Parliamentary Inquiry into Homelessness in Victoria
Appointed to Advisory Panel to supply recommendations to Transport Minister in response to the impact of Covid-19 on the CPV industry, will also be advising on the government response to the Parliamentary inquiry into the reforms of the CPV 2017
Secured the Parliamentary Inquiry into Expanding the Free Tram Zone
Secured government support for Channel 31 to renew their broadcasting license
Secured support to save the Nagambie – Avenel – Euroa school bus
Supported the Road Safety Amendment Bill 2019 to see mandatory license suspension for people who travel 45km above the speed limit
Secured amendments to the Road Toll inquiry
Secured an Inquiry into Rural Public Transport Needs
Secured a $22 million COVID-19 support package for the CPV and Taxi Industry
The Legislative Council passed Rod’s motion to acknowledge the damage caused to Taxi and Hire Car Licence holders by the 2017 reforms
Successfully lobbied the government to have the taxi and hire car industry eligible for the Business Costs Assistance Program during lockdowns. These grants were up to $2800 per week.
Personal Life
Rod lives in Melbourne with his wife. He has two daughters and 5 grandchildren. During the last 25 years, Rod owned and operated his own successful chauffeur hire car business which his family still operates to this day.
Rod has been a strong active advocate for those in the taxi and hire car industry for more than 10 years.
Along with likeminded colleagues, Rod reformed the Victorian Hire Car Association (VHCA) in response to the impact on the taxi and hire industries by the Professor Fels Industry Inquiry.
In 2017 the VHCA changed its name to Commercial Passenger Vehicle Association of Australia (CPVAA). This was done to reflect those in the taxi industry who had become members. Now known as Transport Alliance Australia (TAA).
What Rod Believes
Rod is great believer of public transport and says this is the key to dealing with Melbourne’s ever-increasing traffic congestion.
Rod maintains the drive to fight for fairness and equality for all Victorians. He believes that every Victorian has the right to fair and equal pay, to sick leave, holiday pay and to maternity leave.
That “it is time for governments to be held accountable for their actions and decisions”. Democracy is about representative government but more importantly it is about holding the government to account.
Rod will continue to stand up for the vulnerable as fairness matters
“I strongly believe it is time for governments to be held accountable for their actions and decisions. This can be done now that we have a strong voice in the Upper House to ensure that all decisions have clear merit, foresight and accountability.”
Rod Barton
Member for Eastern Metropolitan Region