DRIVE A2B July 2018

THINK HARD
Are you putting your eggs in
the right basket?
by Rod Barton
Leader - Transport Matters Party
We were burnt once, we won’t be
so gullible this time around. It is
true that the Liberal “Blue” team has
been attempting to pour honey into
the ears of a few of our friends and
colleagues.
Do you remember when....
• the Liberals gave us Allan Fels
and his inquiry, which delivered
the social, financial and
community harm?
• the Liberals accepted the
recommendations that had taxi
leases fall 30% which, in turn,
dropped taxi licence values?
Victorian Hire car licence
values dropped $20 million
dollars when the licences were
dropped from $60,000 back
to $40,000, they didn’t support
any compensation then!
• the Liberals were in power
when Uber entered the market
and did nothing to enforce the
law? They told us we had to
be more competitive, knowing
we had our hands tied with
legislation and debt, and
Matthew Guy jumping onto the
Uber cheer squad.
We have not forgotten this:
Herald Sun 2015 Matthew Guy
visiting Uber’s Melbourne’s HQ
“UBER is here to stay and
Victorians need to embrace the
controversial ride-sharing app,
says Victorian opposition leader
Matthew Guy. [Oh really!]
Visiting the company’s
headquarters this morning,
Mr Guy urged the Andrews
Government to implement
regulation to allow the company
to operate in Victoria now.
We have a situation where Uber
is operating,” Mr Guy said.
“It needs to have the Government
participate in a frank discussion
with the taxi industry and Uber to
work out how the two are going
to work because clearly Uber is
here and Uber is here to stay.”
“It is about time the Government
stopped with this all talk and no
action supposed review into how
Matthew Guy
State Opposition Leader
Uber is going to operate here in
Victoria.”
Mr Guy’s comments come after
he defended using the service in
January. The ride sharer app and
other alternatives are currently
being looked at by an industry
forum set up by Transport
Minister Jacinta Allan.
A working group is investigating
how other states and
international governments have
adapted to regulating Uber and
other new entrants.”
We have not forgotten Matthew Guy
jumping into an illegal UberX vehicle
in 2015 and goading the Andrews
Government to let Uber operate.
30 DRIVE A2B magazine · July 2018