Jeff Kennett to head Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria

A Liberal Nationals Government will appoint Jeff Kennett to head Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria, which was known as the Taxi Services Commission until last month.

A Liberal Nationals Government recognises the importance of the taxi, hire car and ride sharing industry to Victoria’s public transport system.

Combined they offer a valuable, and the most flexible public transport system in the State.

Importantly they must offer a safe form of transport for all Victorians.

There is no one better qualified, and more passionate about this industry than Jeff Kennett, who restructured the taxi industry in the 1990’s at no cost to the Victorian public.

Mr Kennett will oversee the continuing development of this transport sector which is fundamentally small business at its best.

As head of the Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria, Mr Kennett will be asked to independently review the disastrous changes by the Andrews Labor Government, under Daniel Andrews’ leadership, which has unnecessarily resulted in the destruction of wealth for many taxi licence plate holders, and again for many an attack on their mental health.

In particular Mr Kennett will be charged with reviewing the operation of Labor’s Fairness Fund which for many has been anything but fair.

The Victorian Ombudsman has reported negatively on the operation of Labor’s ‘Fairness Fund’ conceding “many licence holders lost a great deal of money”.

As head of the Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria, Mr Kennett will be asked to conduct an inquiry into the adequacy and fairness of commercial passenger vehicle transition arrangements, including:

1. The conduct and operation of the Fairness Fund to ensure:

• Payments made from the Fund were fair and reasonable based on the cost of licences purchased by licence holders;
• Where any application to the Fund was rejected, based on information provided by the licence holder, the decision was fair and reasonable.

2. The collection and distribution of the $1 commercial passenger vehicle levy collected by the Government to offset all payments to the taxi industry.

3. Whether any political bias or interference was applied to the grant or rejection of applications for assistance by the Fairness Fund.

Comments attributable to Leader of the Opposition, Mathew Guy:

“Jeff Kennett’s reforms of the taxi industry in the 1990’s, his leadership of the State as Premier, beyondblue, commercial businesses, the Hawthorn Football Club, and now The Torch, speak for themselves and Victoria is fortunate to be able to call upon his experience yet again.

“A viable, and safe Victorian public transport system using a range of vehicles is essential, and a Liberal Nationals Government is committed to providing that service under Mr Kennett’s leadership.”

Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Public Transport, David Davis:

“Jeff Kennett is eminently qualified to take leadership on this issue and deliver outcomes for transport users, taxi passengers, owners and drivers.

“I am concerned Daniel Andrews has changed the rules and it has put people in a financially much worse position and that is one of the worst things a Premier can do.

“We have heard too many stories of people who have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because of Daniel Andrews’ mismanagement. We have heard deeply moving stories from hardworking families about financial stress, anxiety, depression and worse.

“The most disappointing part is that Labor MPs like Steve Dimopoulos and Nick Staikos have quietly stood by and let it happen without putting up a fight for their constituents.

“If Steve Dimopoulos and Nick Staikos are staying quiet and putting their own political ambitions before their constituents, then at the next election they should be shown the door.”

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