This is the long-awaited Newsletter containing a summary of our latest activities.

  1. The disgraceful treatment of the taxi industry by the former WA Liberal government has had a huge financial and psychological impact on all industry participants and their families. The establishment of TOLD, and the subsequent formation of the Micro Business Party (MBP), has given taxi owners and operators significant political leverage.

Liberal politicians grossly underestimated the potential impact of “cab conversation” between angry, dissatisfied taxi drivers and their customers.  We have no doubt those conversations (repeated many thousands of times over) played a significant role in the ignominious dumping of the Barnett Liberal government.

  1. TOLD (Taxi Operators Legal Defence) was originally established as a platform to fight for fair compensation for taxi plate owners. After careful consideration, the TOLD Executive Committee has resolved to morph the organisation into a revamped Taxi Council of WA (TCWA) by adopting the TCWA previous structure and constitution, and injecting some necessary start-up capital. The acting CEO of the TCWA will shortly appoint an interim Board to lead the new TCWA until democratic elections can be held. Mr Athan Tsirigotis will remain as the TOLD spokesperson during the transition period.
  2. The Micro Business Party has agreed to publish our Newsletters for the time being. The MBP has been our chief supporter in our long-running battle for justice for taxi plate owners and the level playing field for all operators. Together we have achieved far more than anyone ever expected. Two new Labour MPs (Jandakot and Kingsley) were elected thanks to the MBP preference allocation.  And no fewer than seven former government Ministers lost their fat cat salaries (more than quarter of a million dollars) due to voter backlash over failed Liberal policies.

We wish them well in their new careers … perhaps driving for their beloved Uber or Uber Eats …?

The MBP is now developing plans to fight for the rights of small business owners Australia-wide by contesting the next Federal election. Please urge your family and friends to continue to support the Party which supports our continuing quest for a “fair go”.

  1. We are in regular communication with the newly elected Labor Government and we have been reassured that their election promise of a taxi plate buyback is still very much on the agenda. The Minister for Transport advises that the Voluntary Buyback Option proposal should be finalised before the end of the year.

We sincerely hope that the forthcoming self-funded buy back proposal can become a Labour legacy and history will remember them as a party who righted the wrongs done to small business hard working people by the Liberals.

TOLD directors:

Peter Martin, Satinder Samra, Zoran Jankulovski