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Transport Alliance Australia Report — Why is the Victorian DoT holding back on releasing grant money?
Looking after the interests of those in the Australian commercial passenger transport sector.
On July 29, 2020 Department of Transport (DoT) representative Peter Bon, presented (online) the $22m CPV Industry Support package to industry stakeholders. To date only 2 parts of the package have been implemented — the $1 Trip Levy refund (actioned by State Revenue Office) and the alterations to the MPTP scheme (actioned by CPVV).
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Peter Bon advised at this meeting that the "DoT’s objective is to prioritise and facilitate these grants as soon as possible". He also stated "It is DoT’s intention to work with the industry in obtaining information to ensure quick delivery of the support programs."
Yet 10 weeks after this presentation only 2 meagre parts of this package have been executed. We are still waiting on the 3 big ticket items!
DoT is responsible for the delivery and implementation of the outstanding grants, which are: 1.
2. Depot Fee subsidy of $250 per vehicle, if the BSP has a WAV in its fleet. Cleaning and Sanitisation grants for regional and metro BSPs.
The DoT SURVEY is the GRANT APPLICATION FORM.
This SURVEY MUST be completed and lodged by 19 OCTOBER, 2020. 3. Regional Fund to support BSPs in regional and country communities which will assist vulnerable regional Victoria.
Major/Large BSPs have been sent a Funding Agreement by the DoT and they have been asked to complete and return it asap.
All other BSPs have been sent an email by the DoT requesting them to complete a survey, so that they can be considered for funding assistance.
NOTE: Of concern is the fact that small operators with only 1 or 2 vehicles and who do not off-load jobs, have not been sent any information. These people/entities ARE entitled to some funding support. Yet they have not been notified that they are eligible for funding. This is primarily due to the fact that the CPVV does not know who they are and the DoT doesn't want to send an email to all who have a vehicle registered as a commercial passenger vehicle — which is about 50,000 emails.
Just like other operators, these small operators MUST complete a
NO Survey lodged = NO $$$ from Support package.
Late applications WILL NOT be accepted.
DoT Survey to be considered for QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, Q. It has been stated that $300,000 assistance. QUESTIONS! will be granted to Major BSPs for The reason that DoT is asking the We wrote to the DoT last month What constitutes a Major BSP? industry to answer the Survey's questions, is due to the fact that the industry regulator (CPVV) is unable to with a long list of questions and a couple of suggestions, pertaining to the COVID-19 CPV Industry Support A. DoT has declined to answer this question. provide the DoT with the information package. Q. Payments for Cleaning and required to make final calculations Sanitisation assistance will be for the distribution of money for this Whilst we have not received a written scaled according to size. Please Support package. response to our letter, we were able advise the formula for this model. to speak with Peter Bon, who is in Cleaning and Sanitisation purposes. Since 2019 CPVV has been collecting charge of the DoT CPV Support team A. DoT is unable to provide the information from the BSPs every — a team of ONE! answer to this. Those at the month which should have provided DoT don't know how much each the DoT with sufficient information He has advised some answers to our medium and small BSP will to make an informed decision on questions, as follows: receive until such time as they distribution of the grant monies. But, unfortunately, the CPVV did not Q. When will applicants start receiving their funding assistance have analysed the answers to their Survey. have sufficient data to share with for any of these 3 grants? Q. What defines an eligible small the DoT. A. Survey applications close on BSP servicing a regional/country 19 October, then the answers community?
DIFFICULTIES COMPLETING need to be compiled, with ...and... THE SURVEY? calculating formula to be applied Q. What is the formula being
Please call TAA on 8588 7703 and approved, and then after all used to calculate the allocation of and we will try to assist you. this, we might start seeing some monies from the Regional Fund money coming through. grant? .../ continued next page JOIN OR RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
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Yearly and stakeholders of the Australian $120 half-yearly payment commercial passenger transport sector. YEARLY options TAA is a non-profit body run by (Individual available! members, for members. Become part
Membership of an industry group working for a Price) better industry.
TAA advocates for the betterment of the Australian personal passenger transport sector. www.taa-national.com.au info@taa-national.com.au DRIVE A2B magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · September 2020 15
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A. DoT will review the Survey responses and then make a decision on which regional and country BSPs will receive funding, fine-tune the criteria and proportionate the amounts for the Regional Fund grant.
TO DATE, THE FOLLOWING MAJOR QUESTIONS HAVE NOT BEEN ANSWERED.
Many small (3-10) and medium (10+) operators belong to a BSP for their booked work – therefore they are not required to be registered as a BSP. These operators will not be receiving any portion of this funding to assist in what they have paid out over the past 6 months to help protect their drivers and passengers from COVID-19.
Q. Why are these operators being left out?
A. No reply to this question.
Q. Since the Premier has implemented Stage 4 lockdown and additional restrictions, thus further delaying the re-opening of businesses, will government also consider extending this Depot Fee subsidy for the next ¼ - November 2020, December 2020, January 2021?
A. No reply to this question.
In our letter we also queried why some people in the industry have been totally forgotten. Taxi Drivers, Hire Car Operators, Limos, Wedding Cars, Funeral Stretch Limos and other special purpose vehicles are an integral part of the CPV industry. For many of these operators and drivers this work is their full-time job. The majority do not operate a Company; they are not Employees — they are Sub-contractors, Bailees, Sole Traders or perhaps in Partnership with their spouse or relative! These people should also be afforded some financial assistance.
Q. Why have they not been offered any financial assistance?
A. No reply to this question.
Q. Since the Premier has implemented Stage 4 lockdown and additional restrictions, thus further delaying the re-opening of businesses, will government also consider extending this Depot Fee subsidy for the next ¼ - November 2020, December 2020, January 2021?
A. No reply to this question. So, as you can see we have not been able to get many satisfactory answers from the DoT, as the DoT hasn't got the answers. It is all hinging on the information contained within the Funding Agreements and the Survey. We are extremely disappointed and dissatisfied that the DoT has not been proactive with the implementation of these grants. It appears it is not taking the CPV industry seriously, and is almost acting in contempt of the wishes of Parliament.
We have also written to the Minister for Transport, Ben Carroll asking him to comment on the DoT's lack of work to fulfil the $22m industry grant promised by the Premier nearly three months ago. This delay is just unacceptable! Our industry deserves better!
Toni Peters Director, Transport Alliance Australia
