Message from Rod Barton MP

Victoria News

UPDATE FROM ROD BARTON MP

Sole Traders miss out AGAIN!

Despite the government rolling out an additional round of support, including the welcomed Business Support Fund specifically for non-employing sole traders, a large chunk of non-employing sole traders will miss out.

Non-employing sole traders whose businesses do not lease commercial premises and are run from home will receive no support. Industries such as the Rod Barton MLC

tip truck and hire car industry as well as many other businesses

fall into this category. Leader, Transport Matters Party

The government has already provided rent relief and support to commercial tenants but I was disappointed to learn that those sole traders who missed out previously, will miss out again!

I would never say that this support is not needed for those businesses…… [but] there are non-employing sole trader businesses out there, many in the transportation sector, with extraordinary loans and overheads, who are yet to qualify for any financial support whatsoever.

Victorians in the hire car and tip truck industries are drowning in debt on vehicles, machinery and equipment required to provide their business services. The cost of a tip truck is upwards of a couple of hundred thousand dollars. If you add the loan repayments cost and, like hire car operators, if they have a small fleet of trucks, these individuals are at wits end.

As someone once said, interest on debts grows without rain.

A METRE MATTERS

With little to no income and unable to pay their lenders, many face the possibility of losing their homes or selling their vehicles and machinery.

This is their business; it is their job and their livelihood. What then for these people as the restrictions ease and the economy recovers?

They are faced with the prospect of starting completely from scratch.

It is time that the government revaluated the eligibility criteria to include businesses who are continuing to miss out.

In a letter to the Premier, I offered to work with government to address the shortcomings of the existing COVID-19 support programs to focus on expanding the eligibility criteria….to catch those people who, through no fault of their own, are repeatedly falling through the cracks.

Road Toll Inquiry

Earlier this month, I took part in the Legislative Council Economy and Infrastructure Standing Committee’s public hearing on the Inquiry into the Increase in Victoria’s Road Toll. Among the many valuable presenters invited to this hearing, the Committee was joined by Australia’s leading cycling safety charity, the Amy Gillett Foundation (AGF), which presented on its priorities to keep road users safe in Victoria.

Notably, the AGF has been campaigning for A Metre Matters legislation changes across Australia for over 10 years. Every other Australian State and Territory has seen changes to this road rule.

The discussion with the AGF was a useful reminder that safety for cyclists is really about safety for all road users. Cycling related deaths and injuries are preventable and these crashes don’t just impact cyclists – they also have a terrible impact on drivers who are involved.

Until next month, stay safe and stay well. Rod Barton MP Leader, Transport Matters Party

STOP PRESS...

On 8 October 2020 Victoria's new Minister for Road Safety, Hon. Ben Carroll MP announced Victoria’s commitment to A Metre Matters, effective early 2021 AND a $13million investment in temporary bike lanes, joining NSW and QLD to create this vital cyclingsafety infrastructure. This support for cycling will save lives and keep people riding.