Meet Rod
Rod Barton is a Member Eastern Metropolitan Region in the Legislative Council.
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.
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
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).
“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 will continue to stand up for the vulnerable as fairness matters
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.