Melbourne's taxi protest against government reforms

Melbourne’s taxi licence owners and their supporters disrupted Monday morning's peak hour traffic in a protest against Government’s reforms to deregulate the industry.

Bahadar Singh Sandhu with the other cabbies protesting against government reforms Source: Supplied

The protest was organised against the government's decision to introduce a single registration for taxis, hire cars and ride-share services.

“There were more than 200 taxis involved in this protest. We had a convoy that drove slowly across Melbourne’s Bolte Bridge causing traffic slow down,” said cabbie Bahadar Singh Sandhu who is also one of the affected taxi licence owners.

Listen to Bahadar Singh Sandhu's interview with SBS Punjabi's Preetinder Singh Grewal (In Punjabi)

The taxi protest near the Melbourne Parliament House Source: Supplied

Bahadar Singh told SBS Radio that some of the families have been severely affected by the government reforms.

"We feel ruined. We invested in good faith to the government, and now we feel cheated.”

“The government proposes buying taxi licences for an unfair amount of $100,000, which is for the first licence and $50,000 for up to three others.”

“We are at the losing end. This compensation is unfair and will lead to financial ruin, with many cabbies paying up to $500,000 per licence.”

“We don’t want to cause any traffic chaos. We requested for meetings with the government again and again. But they don’t care leaving us no other way than this traffic disruption to make them listen.”

“Why the licence holders should pay the price for industry reform, why can’t the government compensate on fair grounds,” asks Bahadar Singh Sandhu.