Kennett bans taxi magazine

MELBOURNE -- This month's issue of the main Victorian taxi industry magazine, Taxi Call, has been withdrawn from the streets following disapproval by the Kennett state government.

The 2500-copy print run was released a week ago through major taxi depots and other industry-related locations. Within days, the Victorian Taxi Directorate (VTD) arranged for remaining copies to be seized or taken out of circulation. However, there has been no legal action.

The articles that angered the government included criticism of its management of the taxi industry, in particular on safety-related matters.

One article pointed out that less than a month prior to the murder of driver Peter Coe, he and other drivers had unsuccessfully attempted to meet with Kennett and VTD bosses to discuss safety matters. They were told that neither were concerned about such matters. A series of letters published in newspapers and taxi industry magazines at around the same time also failed to convince Kennett or VTD officers to meet drivers.

This month's Taxi Call argued that in spite of a string of media stunts by Kennett and VDT officials, their actions demonstrated that neither are genuinely concerned about taxi drivers. It also noted how the Kennett/VTD media machine attempted to hide taxi drivers' concerns after the brutal killing of Coe. A letter published in the magazine and signed by more than 200 drivers noted that four resolutions passed unanimously by a mass meeting of several hundred drivers were blocked from being reported in the media.

The article also referred to the state government's failure to implement recommendations of its own Crime Prevention Committee Report into the taxi industry, particularly with regard to corruption among Vicroad officials in charge of the taxi industry.

The Taxi Drivers' League, which represents hundreds of drivers, regards the censorship of their industry magazine as a direct attack on their freedom of speech, and unacceptable. It also believes it to be illegal.

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
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