Dan Burke, Melbourne
After blockading the streets of Melbourne's central business district on August 11, at least 600 taxi drivers held a rally at the Flemington Racecourse on August 15, where they confronted Victorian transport minister Peter Batchelor with their concerns about inadequate job safety.
The August 11 protest was sparked by the death of part-time taxi driver Rajneesh Joga on August 8. Joga, 27, who was studying in Australia, died after his taxi was commandeered mid-trip by a man allegedly fleeing police.
The drivers spoke about racist and other abuse they had been subjected to by many passengers, including accounts of being threatened with knives. One driver reported having a rope put around his neck.
The most dangerous time, they said, is on the weekend, but working then is essential for most drivers as it is also the most lucrative. In an industry where the hourly pay rate can sometimes drop to as little as $8 an hour, it is not surprising drivers are calling for a union to specifically cover them.
Taxi driver Pritam Gill — who, like many of the other drivers, is of Indian origin — told Green Left Weekly that he had been called a "terrorist" and told to "go home" by some passengers. He attributed such verbal abuse to the terrorism hysteria whipped up by federal and state governments.
Batchelor agreed to set up a taxi driver security task force and to test run safety screens in taxis.
A website will also be set up for cabbies to voice their concerns to the government and reports of racial abuse will be referred to the Victorian Multicultural Commission. One of the first issues to be addressed will be the problem of inadequate police investigation into fare evasion. Another will be the inadequate police response times to possibly life threatening situations.
Almost 10 years ago in Sydney similar job safety concerns led to safety screens being installed in taxis.