Victorian taxi drivers protest law changes outside State Parliament

HUNDREDS of taxi drivers have rallied in Melbourne as legislation to deregulate the industry to make way for Uber, was introduced into the upper house.

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HUNDREDS of taxi drivers and their families have rallied in Melbourne as legislation to deregulate the industry to make way for Uber, was introduced into the upper house.

More than 300 people gathered outside the Victorian Parliament, wearing yellow shirts and chanting ‘fight back’.

The protest came as the Andrews Government introduced the controversial bill in the Legislative Council for debate.

Taxi drivers protest on the steps of Parliament House, Melbourne. Picture: Tracey Nearmy/AAP.

Taxi drivers protest on the steps of Parliament House, Melbourne. Picture: Tracey Nearmy/AAP.

Taxi drivers protest on the steps of Parliament House, Melbourne. Picture: Tracey Nearmy/AAP.

The plan will see a $2 levy to fund a compensation scheme for licence holders.

However the state coalition moved to send the bill to a Parliamentary committee for further investigation.

The move will delay the debate on the long-awaited legislation until June.

It was a small blow for the government, which wants to bring in the $2 levy per trip, from 2018, to finance compensation.

If the bill is not passed it would leave a $388 million black hole in the deregulation plans.

Sandy Spanos, spokesman for Victorian Taxi Families, called for the Andrews’ Government to rethink the plan.

“This Bill strikes at the livelihoods of over 5000 Victorian taxi licence holders,’’ she said.

“It’s like renting your house to someone and when the law changes, they get the right to live in the house and you lose your house.”