Thursday, 23 June 2022

 Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (10:16): On Tuesday the New South Wales Perrottet Liberal government unveiled their budget. There was much speculation that there was going to be a billion-dollar compensation package for the taxi holders. Negotiations between the industry and the government have been held in good faith over many years. We had hoped the New South Wales government would set the bar for fair and just compensation. It was not to be. The original New South Wales package was $20 000 per vehicle for a maximum of two vehicles, which was two-fifths of bugger-all. Licences that were purchased for half a million dollars have decreased in value by so much that you cannot even give them away now. I am incredibly disappointed that the New South Wales government is yet to right this wrong. They have witnessed the devastation that has occurred in Victoria—the failed regulator, the failed rollout of the reforms and the failed promises for a level playing field. The difference in our case, Victoria’s case, is we are still in it. I have not stopped fighting. I expect to have announcements, good or bad, regarding repairing the past to make a sustainable pathway forward for the future. I make no guarantees except to say every single day I am working towards a resolution. Let us see what happens.