Bus Industry Holds Successful Rally
Metropolitan and country bus operators held a rally on the steps of Parliament House today protestingagainst the Labor Government’s plans to nationalise the private bus industry.
The Government has told nine small to medium family business bus owners out of the 13 that operate in Melbourne, that the Government will only give them a new contract only if they agree to transfer their new vehicles, non-managerial staff and know how (intellectual property) to the Government or their nominee at the end of the new 5 and 7 year contract term, or that they transfer all their vehicles, all their depots, all their non managerial staff and know-how to the Government, or their nominee at the end of the 10 year contract term.
Chris Lowe, Executive Director of the Bus Association Victoria said ‘this is reprehensible, it’s unconscionable, it’s extreme socialism run amuck, it’s anti-small business, it’s anti-family business, it’s bad for the economy and it’s very bad for the travelling public.
Dom Sita from Kastoria Bus Lines made an impassioned speech about how his family owning their assets was fundamental to delivering a quality community service and how he was not going to sell his assets to the Government or their nominee.
Matthew Guy, Leader of the Opposition, David Davis, Shadow Minister for Public Transport and Peter Walsh, Leader of the Victorian Nationals also addressed the rally, stating that a Coalition Government will renegotiate the bus contracts with operators and carve the asset provisions out of the service contract if they are elected on 24th November 2018.
‘Some in Government want to strip the family business bus operators of their competitive advantage’ said Dr Lowe.
The country operators who attended the rally made it clear there is no way they will agree to transferring their assets to the Government or their nominee as part of their new service contracts which need to be renewed shortly.
‘There’s so much evidence from around the world that the publicly owned model doesn’t work it’s not funny’ said Dr Lowe.
‘The Government needs to take assets off the negotiation table now’ Dr Lowe said. ---
