Transport Matters Party

Transport Matters is an Australian political party. It is a party in Victoria, Australia[1] registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission on 30 April 2018, after an application was received by the VEC on 9 January 2018.[2] Transport Matters was registered federally on 24 March 2020.[3]

Transport Matters Party
FoundersRod Barton
André Baruch
FoundedApril 2018 (2018-04)
IdeologyTaxi industry advocacy
Ban on Uber
Colours    Blue and red
Victorian Legislative Council
1 / 40
Website
www.transportmatters.org.au

Policies and philosophy

The party is opposed to the deregulation of the vehicle for hire, taxicab and hire car industry in Victoria.

The party describes itself as possessing a centre-left policy agenda; in addition to the party's core focus on transport, the party also champions environmental issues and small business interests.[4] The party has advocated for major transport projects including the East West Link, then North East Link, the West Gate Tunnel and a fully publicly owned Melbourne Airport rail line.[4][5]

History

The party was co-founded by Rod Barton and André Baruch,[6] both hire car operators.

Most of the party's members are taxi drivers or taxi licence owners involved in a class action lawsuit against Uber for loss of income between 2014 and 2017, when the company operated in Victoria as an illegal taxicab operation.[7][8] Uber was legalised in Victoria in August 2017 following the deregulation of the taxi/ride-share industry in the state.

In May 2019, more than 6,000 taxi and car-hire drivers, operators and licence owners across four states commenced the class action in the Victorian Supreme Court.[9]

Electoral results

At the 2018 Victorian state election, the party was the beneficiary of a highly convoluted series of preference flows in the group voting ticket for the Legislative Council organised by Glenn Druery. With these beneficial preferences it was estimated that the party could get elected on less than 0.3% of the vote in the Eastern Metropolitan Region.[10] Ultimately, the party polled 0.62% of the vote and Barton was elected to the Legislative Council for a four-year term.

Victorian Legislative Council
Election year No of votes % of vote Seats won +/– Notes
2018 22,051 0.62 (#17)
1 / 40
 1 Shared balance of power

Political representatives

Current members of parliament
Victoria

References
  1. "Currently registered parties". Victorian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  2. Baruch, Andre (2 August 2017). "Transport Matters Party - new entrant into the political landscape in Victoria". Australia Wide Chauffeur Cars. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  3. "Registration of a political party Transport Matters Party" (PDF). Australian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  4. Jacks, Timna. "'Melbourne grinding to a halt': New political party for transport". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  5. Carey, Adam. "Party in the upper house: Who's who on new Victorian crossbench". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 9 September 2020.
  6. "Transport Matters Party to contest state poll". Surf Coast Times. 15 May 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  7. Jacks, Timna (12 May 2018). "'Melbourne grinding to a halt': New political party for transport". The Age. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  8. "Victorian taxi, hire drivers to sue Uber for 'hundreds of millions' in lost earnings". The New Daily. 19 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  9. Uber 'came to our shores, illegally, like pirates', class action lead plaintiff says
  10. Analyst, Antony Green-ABC Election (16 November 2018). "How to Vote for the Victorian Legislative Council". ABC News. Retrieved 12 December 2018.


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