ROD BARTON: The fight continues next year

This year has been a difficult one for many and especially the taxi and hire car industry. Despite these obstacles, I have not wavered in pursuing what is necessary for the taxi and hire car industry and its survival.

After six months of hard work and negotiations, I was part of the team who managed to get a $22 million package to support the industry.

This package ensured that commercial passenger vehicles (CPVs) could still provide COVID-Safe transport to vulnerable Victorians, and also included a rebate for CPV drivers. These measures were able to lessen the blow of the pandemic for many who had been struggling to put food on the table.

​I understand this package did not reach everyone who may have needed it, however, in my view, to date this is the best and most targeted CPV funding package in Australia.

The government has asked that I continue as a member of the CPV Panel to identify further issues in the CPV’s sector.

​Supporting your industry

We all have had a number of battles to fight this year and for some of them I have deliberately held my time till just recently. Discussions have now been held and I have been successful in getting up a motion that addresses the suffering that resulted from the revocation of taxi licences for a fraction of their worth.

This motion sought recognition for the pain and financial devastation that taxi and hire car licence holders have experienced at the hands of the 2017 CPV industry reforms.

I asked the Andrews Labor government to accept a financial proposal to properly compensate the industry for the revocation of Victorian taxi and hire car licences, as well as restructuring the CPV industry to end driver exploitation.

The motion also called on the government to support a recovery plan to build back the CPV industry as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Without action from the government, this pandemic has the capacity to be the nail in the coffin for the taxi and hire car industry. We need the Regulator (Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria) to step up and make a plan to support the industry as restrictions ease.

This motion reminded the government of the suffering and economic devastation still faced by thousands of Victorian families. While the government may want this to be over, I will spend my time in parliament reminding them that it’s not. I will not allow them to forget.

I could not have achieved so much of what I have this year without the members of the Transport Matters Party. I would like to extend my gratitude for all those who renewed their membership with the Transport Matters Party and our new members, many from rural and regional areas.

If you support the work we are doing, I urge you to become a member.

My team and I will be taking a short holiday break and will be back in the New Year to knuckle down and finish the fight.

We will be bringing this same commitment and strategic fight into next year and hope to see you there alongside us. We must right this wrong!

In the meantime, my team and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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– Rod Barton MP, Leader, Transport Matters Party