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.
Taxi Drivers – Fair Pay?
This week, Rod asked the Premier about the treatment of Essential Transport Workers.
Thursday 12th November 2020
Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (12:42): My constituency question is for the Premier. Taxi fares in Victoria have not increased since 2014, and there have been a number of reviews. Taxidrivers are essential transport workers, as has been demonstrated during this pandemic. They receive no holiday pay, no sick pay, no superannuation and no maternity leave, and many have been known to work for less than $10 an hour—well below the minimum wage. The Essential Services Commission sets these fares, and it is interesting to note the executives at the Essential Services Commission in the same period have received a pay increase of 24.5 per cent. The information I seek is: what is the justification for this unfair treatment of these essential transport workers?
Question – Re-launching the Taxi & Hire Car Industry
Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria is responsible for outlining the rules and perimeters that dictate this industry, one would thought that as the regulator, they would have statutory responsibilities to ensure the taxi and hire car industry has a plan to move forward.
Open letter to CPV industry stakeholders
Yesterday the Minister for Transport, Melissa Horne, requested that I join a Parliamentary Advisory Panel with Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, Steve Dimopoulos, to create a set of Covid-19 support recommendations to take to the Minister for consideration.
CPV fees dropped and trip levy under review
Permit fees for commercial passenger vehicles and drivers will be waived and the $1 trip levy is under review following pressure from national industry group Transport Alliance Australia and Transport Matters Party leader Rod Barton.
Support needed to keep essential taxis working
A support package to keep taxi drivers working is essential to maintain transport options for Victoria’s elderly, disabled and vulnerable according to Eastern Metro MP and Transport Matters Party leader Rod Barton.
“Drivers have had it tough for the last few years and for many this will be the last straw.”
Action plan for CPV
Don’t wait until it’s too late. There are rough times ahead but there are some things drivers can do now to help them through these tough times.
Unfair cross-border Taxi regulations
I ask the minister to review the new cross-border CPV rules that allow New South Wales operators to register and operate in Victoria for the low cost accreditation fee.
Requests for Covid-19 support for taxi industry
The taxi industry is at the coal face when it comes to arrivals into Australia and the risks associated with close social contact during this Covid-19 crisis. This week Rod has written to the Premier and asked in Parliament for support for drivers who are ill or must self isolate. With no sick pay and no holiday pay these are the hard workers who are getting Victorian’s home safely and they and their families deserve our support.
ADJOURNMENT – Increase maximum cap on taxi prices
This week I asked the Minister for Public Transport to give cabbies a pay rise and increase the maximum cap set by the Essential Services Commission on taxi fares.