Two-strikes rule to slam brakes on dodgy taxi drivers
Dodgy taxi and rideshare drivers face losing their licence to operate under Victorian "two strikes and you're out" laws similar to NSW.
The proposed legislative shake-up is set to give industry regulator Safe Transport Victoria greater powers to suspend or cancel the accreditation of drivers who have two fare-related convictions.
A pattern of complaints could also spell trouble for commercial passenger vehicle drivers, Victorian Public Transport Minister Gabrielle Williams signalled.
"There might be complaints made about an individual driver that are very similar but fall below that conviction threshold, it still allows the regulator to do something about it," she told reporters on Friday.
Other changes in the overhaul include compulsory QR codes in taxis and rideshare to link passengers through to a complaints page, harsher penalties for bad behaviour and mandating audio recordings in taxis.
The latter measure will make it easier for taxi operators to investigate complaints, the government said.
Carers will also be able to access live in-vehicle vision if offered by taxi or rideshare companies after a high-profile case of a cabbie abusing and scamming passengers with disabilities.
Ms Williams described the behaviour as "utterly unacceptable and disgusting".
The Transport Workers Union said the two-strikes policy unfairly targeted drivers and failed to address poor passenger behaviour.
"This is thoughtless demonising of transport workers," its national secretary Michael Kaine said.
But Victorian Taxi Association director Peter Valentine hailed the reforms, declaring mandatory audio in cabs would better protect drivers and passengers alike.
"Either one can be the offender," he told AAP.
Mr Valentine wants the video and audio mandate extended to Uber and DiDi operators despite drivers also using them as private cars.
He estimates there are roughly 90,000 commercial passenger vehicle drivers in the state and suggested passengers won't suffer if 10 to 15 per cent are shown the door following the crackdown.
But he concedes the regulator will likely face an uphill battle enforcing the incoming rules due to a lack of inspectors.
"If you've got 90,000 drivers, do you think three people can control them? There's half your problem," Mr Valentine said.
"You stand out there and blow your trumpet but it's no good unless the music comes out."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Melbourne's CBD grapples with near-record office vacancies as state government defends controversial work from home mandate
Melbourne's CBD continues to suffer from the the economic strain of post-pandemic shifts in workplace habits, with fresh data revealing almost 18 per cent of city office spaces remain vacant - the highest of any major city across the country. The figure, released in the Property Council of Australia's latest Office Market Report, shows Melbourne's CBD vacancy rate had ticked down marginally from 18 per cent to 17.9 per cent. However, the slight dip offers little relief as concerns mount over Premier Jacinta Allan's plan to enshrine the right to work from home into state law. The legislation, set to be introduced ahead of next year's election, would grant public and private sector employees the right to work remotely for two days a week, where reasonable. The move has drawn sharp criticism from business leaders who fear it will further erode demand for city office space and deter new investment. 'The reality is that investment to drive jobs, upgrade our office assets, and keep our city vibrant will be deterred from Melbourne if this latest policy comes into effect,' said Property Council Victoria executive director Cath Evans. The policy comes as the national office vacancy rate rises to 15.2 per cent, its highest level in three decades, fuelled by weak demand and a glut of new buildings still coming online after being approved during the low-interest rate boom. In Melbourne, the city is still adjusting to a major shift in workplace culture, with data from CBRE showing just 63 per cent of Victorian workers are returning to the office, well below the national average of 74.7 per cent. In Sydney, office attendance is even higher at 82 per cent. Before the pandemic, Melbourne boasted the lowest vacancy rate in Australia at just 3.4 per cent. But the landscape has drastically changed. By early 2022, vacancy had surged to 13.1 per cent before peaking at 18 per cent, where it remained for a full year. Deputy Premier Ben Carroll defended the government's proposed work from home mandate, saying, 'this really helps all people in all types of industries'. However, Dani Matthews, co-founder of corporate advocacy group Abundium, said the policy would place unnecessary burdens on businesses. 'Our members say it adds unnecessary cost and compliance burden, and for some, it will force a reconsideration of their future footprint in the state,' she told the Herald Sun. Suburban markets are also struggling, with Melbourne's St Kilda Road precinct and Sydney's north shore - areas like Crows Nest - reporting vacancy levels nearing 30 per cent. North Sydney, Macquarie Park, Parramatta and Chatswood are also battling vacancies above 20 per cent. Major new developments in Melbourne, such as Mirvac's 7 Spencer Street and Cbus Property's 435 Bourke Street, anchored by Commonwealth Bank, are expected to test the resilience of the market further as they hit completion in the next three years. Despite the gloom, with the growing market in Melbourne, some remain optimistic. 'There's no doubt that Melbourne is key to the future success of Australia's evolving office market,' Ms Evans said. 'At a time when many other major cities are recording increases in office vacancy, it's encouraging to see that Melbourne's office market is showing green shoots.' The Allan government now faces mounting pressure to reconsider its approach or risk making Melbourne even less competitive on the national stage.
Herald Sun
5 hours ago
- Herald Sun
Property Council slams Victoria's proposed work from home legislation
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News. After years of pandemic-induced uncertainty, Melbourne's office market is finally showing signs of stability. The new Property Council Office Market Report confirms a modest but meaningful decline in CBD office vacancy – down from 18 per cent to 17.9 per cent. This bucks the national trend and is a small but vital signal that confidence is returning to our city centre. That's why the Victorian government's proposal to legislate the right for private sector workers to work from home two days a week is not just poorly timed – it's deeply concerning. It comes at a time when the federal government has productivity improvements in its sights but is an act that turns its back on Victoria's most productive asset: Melbourne's CBD. The Melbourne CBD is Victoria's most productive asset. Picture: David Crosling Let's be clear – flexibility is not up for debate. It is already a hallmark of modern workplaces — many employers have adopted hybrid models, to suit the needs of their teams and businesses. We've also seen businesses going above and beyond to earn the commute of their staff, offering everything from sleep-pods and health hubs to DJ decks and golf simulators in their offices. After two years of being the most locked-down city in the world and rapid adjustment to new norms, it's clear that employers have found models that work best for their teams. Mandating working from home through legislation strips away the very flexibility the government claims to support. The diversity of Victoria's private sector means there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for a tech start-up may not suit a legal firm or design practice. Decisions about work arrangements should be made by employers and their staff, not imposed by politicians from Spring St. Even in 2025, Melbourne's CBD is still in recovery mode. Small businesses – cafes, retailers, service providers – depend on consistent foot traffic. Every government policy that discourages people from returning to the city chips away at its ongoing revitalisation. The Allan-government wants to legislate to right to work at home two days a week. Picture: Supplied Our report shows that we are starting to see momentum build: new leasing activity, demand for more affordable B-Grade office stock, and a tapering in sublease vacancies. These are all signs of businesses regaining confidence in their workplace strategies. Meanwhile, Melbourne has the strongest future supply pipeline nationally, with more than 300,000sq m of new office space set to come online by 2027. Developers and investors are backing our city. They need a policy environment that backs them in return. Victoria already suffers under the country's harshest property tax settings. Now, the threat of mandated work-from-home rules sends another damaging message to employers and investors: Melbourne is not open for business. We need to support our CBD's recovery, not jeopardise it. The private sector is doing its part. We're asking the government to do the same: back business, protect choice, and keep Melbourne open for investment and growth. Cath Evans is Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council.
West Australian
6 hours ago
- West Australian
Australian news and politics live: Treasurer Chalmers backs new stock exchange as ASX faces fresh competition
Scroll down for the latest news and updates. The White House announced Wednesday that it is imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on India, bringing the total levies against the major United States trading partner to 50 per cent. 'I find that the Government of India is currently directly or indirectly importing Russian Federation oil,' President Donald Trump said in an executive order. 'Accordingly, and as consistent with applicable law, articles of India imported into the customs territory of the United States shall be subject to an additional ad valorem rate of duty of 25 percent,' the executive order reads. The new tariffs are set to go into effect in 21 days, according to the order, while the previously announced 25 per cent tariffs are set to take effect on Thursday. Read the full story. A helicopter crash in Ghana, has killed eight people including the West African nation's defence and environment ministers, the government says. The military says the helicopter took off on Wednesday morning from the capital, Accra, toward Obuasi, a gold-mining area in the Ashanti region, but went off the radar. The cause of the crash was not immediately known. Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed were killed alongside the vice-chair of the National Democratic Congress ruling party, a top national security adviser and crew members. Ghana's government described the crash as a 'national tragedy'. Read the full story. A man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum has been indicted on federal hate crimes charges. The indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, charges Elias Rodriguez with nine counts, including a hate crime resulting in death. The indictment also includes notice of special findings, which would allow the Justice Department to potentially pursue the death penalty. It accuses him of carrying out a hate crime resulting in death motivated by the 'actual and perceived national origin of any person'. Rodriguez also faces charges of first-degree murder and murder of a foreign official. Elias Rodriguez, 31, is accused of gunning down Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, as they left an event at the museum in May. Read more. Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has urged caution regarding Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan's plan to enshrine the right to work from home into law, advising that the government should 'get their constitutional advice spot on' before proceeding further. The proposal has drawn criticism from legal experts and academics, who argue it presents significant constitutional challenges and would be difficult to enforce. Meanwhile, business groups warn the law could encourage companies to relocate to other states. This debate follows the federal Coalition's unsuccessful attempt to limit remote working during the recent election campaign, a move that was abandoned amid widespread public opposition. Though Mr Bragg conceded the Coalition's handling of remote work issues had been 'not well handled,' he stressed the importance of ensuring any legislation is legally sound. 'My view is that work from home is very good, I do it myself and it should be facilitated,' Mr Bragg told ABC Radio National. 'The Victorian government needs to get their right constitutional advice in order, and they need to make sure that whatever they're proposing to legislate, that would actually work … we're very happy to facilitate it, but that's really a matter for the Victorians and their constitutional advice.' Australia's $3 trillion stock exchange looks set for a new competitor as the corporate watchdog readies to approve a bid by Cboe to expand operations Down Under. Cboe Global Markets — which owns the Chicago Board Options Exchange — wants to launch a new platform for local companies to list their shares in direct competition with the Australian Securities Exchange. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission revealed on Wednesday that it was in the final stages of considering the plan, which would give businesses a new place to raise cash. Treasurer Jim Chalmers talked up the benefits of the plan after talks with regulators and big investors on Wednesday. 'Making our markets more competitive will make our economy more prosperous and productive,' he said. Read the full story. Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has urged the introduction of new regulations to protect songwriters and creative artists from the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. This follows an interim report by the Productivity Commission which suggested that current Australian copyright laws may act as a 'barrier to building and training AI models.' The report claimed that existing regulations 'does not adequately facilitate the use of copyrighted works,' drawing criticism from arts bodies who are concerned this will take away the last existing protections artists have. 'I have concerns about artificial intelligence and its impact on humanity, and rather than adopting it, holus bolus and rolling it out en masse across our country, we do need to understand the risks,' Ms McKenzie told Nine on Thursday morning. 'Particularly to our songwriters, our creative artists, to make sure that they're not bearing the cost. We need to protect our artists, and that means putting some regulation in place,' she said.
