Notifying the Revocation of Authorisation

Faruque Ahmed
P O Box – 349, Alexandria – 2015
Mobile: 041 091 4118
Email: union_faruque@yahoo.com.au
Blog: Member of Parliament and Media Outlets

Ms Isabelle Arnaud
Director, Adjudication Branch
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission
23 Marcus Clarke Street
Canberra ACT 2601
Tel: (02) 6243 1111 Fax: (02) 6243 1199


Subject : Notifying the Revocation of Authorisation



Dear Ms. Arnaud

According to your letter of 18 April 2008 "The Tribunal decided on 27 June 2006 to revoke the authorisations on the basis that the benefit of certainty of acceptance of non-cash payments was not sufficient to sustain the authorizations". We have been asking your department to do the same for along time. Because we knew that the then Trade Practices Commission was misled and the "Authorisation" was granted incorrectly.

We also knew that a similar request to grant almost an identical "Authorisation" was rejected for good reason. You should also know that the Cabcharge was defending the indefensible and they failed to counter our challenges in the court of law earlier.

Your letter advised that:
" Eflect of the Tribunal decision
The revocation by the Tribunal of the twelve authorisations means that the networks which previously had authorisation can no longer engage in the conduct without being at risk of action under the Trade Practices Act. Whether or not specific requirements would raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Act would depend on the specific nature of the requirements imposed.

However, the ACCC and the Tribunal expected that cards and vouchers would continue to be widely accepted absent authorisation. Taxi operators and drivers are entitled to advertise the cards and vouchers they accept. Should certain taxi operators and drivers not accept certain cards and vouchers, but advertise on their taxis that these cards are accepted, such could amount to misleading conduct."

The reality is, because of your earlier "Authorisation", taxi owners and drivers were compelled to display Cabcharge decals in taxis and thereby accepting them became a norm in the taxi industry. Now, the "Authorisation" is no longer in force and importantly taxis do not have to display them even though many would not be aware of that decision and revocation!

In view of your advice of 18 April 2008, what I have asked you is to inform all taxi drivers, owners and operators that the "Authorisation" is no longer in force and they don't have to display Cabcharge decals. Surely, it is not a hard job to follow up on.

With thanks

Sincerely yours



Faruque Ahmed
Wednesday, June 18, 2008


Background:

Further to Cabcharge and Criminals and Merger and Acquisition by Cabcharge Limited and other documents below;
1. Back in 1984 the "Taxi Mafia" obtained the authorisation incorrectly and they failed to tell the truth to the ACCC on that time,
2. Since then, we have been asking to remove that authorisation,
3. The "Taxi Mafia" made a few attempts to fool the ACCC later but failed and
4. The Australian Competition Tribunal removed the authorisation of 1984!
Naturally, I asked the ACCC to inform all taxi drivers and owners that they don't have to display the Cabcharge decals as it is no longer required by the law because of the recent court decision!

I was not expecting an immature legal lecture from some one from the ACCC, who in my view acted like a defense lawyer of the Cabcharge Limited. Ironically, during the court proceedings, the mighty Cabcharge was hiding!!

Merger and Acquisition by Cabcharge Limited

Faruque Ahmed
P O Box – 349
Alexandria – 2015
Mobile: 041 091 4118
Email: union_faruque@yahoo.com.au
Blog: Members of Parliament and Media Outlets

Tuesday, June 10, 2008


Mr. Graeme Samuel
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission

GPO Box 3131

CANBERRA ACT 2601

Ph: 02 6243 1244Fax: 02 6243 1210

Email: foi@accc.gov.au

Re: Merger and Acquisition by Cabcharge Limited


Dear Mr. Samuel

I the undersigned, Faruque Ahmed, have been advocating bailee taxi drivers' rights and interests in the state and federal instrumentalities, Parliaments, media, before the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and formerly the Trade Practices Commission as:

1. Secretary/Treasurer and President of Taxi Drivers' Section of the NSW Transport Workers Union, respectively,
2.Vice-President and President of Taxi Industry Services Association, respectively,
3. President, NSW Cabbie Welfare Association and
4. Media Manager, NSW Taxi Drivers Association. I am also a working bailee taxi driver.

Taxi co-operatives (not taxi companies or networks) obtained the authorisation A30112 by not telling the truth, twisting the truth and using racism as well as some other false claims they made to misguide the then Trade Practices Commission. Ultimately, the original applicants, specifically the Red and Yellow Deluxe have used many false claims "for their own narrow benefit" and got away with them. Fortunately most of their typical false claims and lies were detected and eventually correctly rejected by the TPC in matterA30152.

Since then, we have been asking the ACCC and other relevant departments to remove the Authorization A30112. Surprisingly, they were very reluctant about it. Eventually, the Australian Competition Tribunal removed the Authorisation (Matter No - 3 of 2005) as we have been requesting.

Yet, even today;

1. I am currently compelled to work for Cabcharge Limited for 30 minutes per shift free of charge,
2. I am compelled to bear the burden of any dockets voided by Cabcharge for reasons beyond my control or ability, thus eroding my industrial rights,
3. I am compelled to bear the burden of traffic fines that incurred whilst processing Cabcharge Limited dockets and credit cards,
4. I am compelled to provide my private details to a company with whom I have no contractual relations, and
5. Because of my free labor and miseries mentioned in "1" to "4" above the Cabcharge Limited is making huge amount of money and buying up various taxi industry instrumentalities and thereby reducing and eventually destroying competition in the taxi industry and
6. The State and Federal Government provided unfair advantage to Cabcharge Limited are effectively restricting any new comers to open up any new ventures in the taxi industry,

I therefore would like to request you to register me as an interested party and inform me should the Cabcharge Limited intends to acquire or merger with any taxi industry body or instrumentalities as these activities would affect me, the taxi industry and society in general adversely.

Sincerely Yours

Faruque Ahmed

British Raj to Taxi Mafia

British Raj to Taxi Mafia



Due to White Australia Policy (1 and 2) and British Raj the Australians faced huge defeat and disaster at Gallipoli as demonstrated by Crowd swells for a shivering dawn, They fought for two sausages!, Retracing diggers' path in France for Anzac Day, Who are these enemies? and Captain Bush, Blair and Howard.


However because of Australian Values they have turned around these disasters and defeats in to gigantic victory and glory!



Today, they are denying taxi workers lawful rights by using racism as demonstrated in No to Racism and Yes to Activism, Message to Jimmy, Message to Gold Coast Driver and Message to Ross Nelson!


Please examine Melbourne Australia Taxi Strike and links at the top of the article for the full coverage of the story and pictures prior to make up your mind.


Should you wish please give us a hand to smash the blockade of a section of Australian media and society who have chosen to live with prejudice and bigotry.




Racism vs Taxi Drivers Safety in Victoria

Victorian Director General of Transport

It is the responsibility of civilized society to provide a safe workplace and safer work practices to workers under the Occupational Health and Safety legislation under the Duty of Care provisions. It is also a fundamental right of a worker to work in a safe work place that adheres to safe work practices.

In the state of New South Wales we had the Keatsdale Report, Dalziel Reports and Cook Reports which are relevant to to-days taxi drivers safety initiatives in NSW. I believe the current Victorian taxi driver's safety issues are not too different to their NSW counter parts. You are welcome to contact your NSW counterparts to obtain copies of these reports mentioned for some assistance or guidance should you wish to do so.

The commendable multicultural, Melbourne taxi drivers' spontaneous blockade/strike was a genuine and legal one. No one should dismiss or minimise their great effort with blatant and pseudo racism as we have witnessed recently. For example, taking off shirts on a wintry night as these drivers did was a symbol of their actual working conditions and the industrial reality that they experience. These taxi drivers do not have cameras, a global positioning system, workable safety shields or anything in this so called 21st century Victorian work environment. In terms of safety, they are virtually naked and unprotected.

When super models take their bikinis or bras off in the middle of the town center to high light or draw attention to their causes, there is barely any criticism. That situation is unlike the recent outcry directed to these vulnerable Victorian taxi drivers and the protest style they used. Recent murmurings and attempts to smear Indian students in general, many of whom were involved in this Victorian protest, and their living practices so as to undermine and destruct these taxi driver's spotlighting of unacceptable working conditions are purely racially driven. Many European and American backpackers and students also live in an identical cost effective and uncomfortable manner as some Indian students and by extension Indian origin taxi drivers are purported to do. This is blatant generalization designed to undermine the whole issue, which is the shameful and unsafe standard of working conditions and safety being experienced by Victorian taxi drivers.

Surely, a student or any workers poverty should not deny or diminish their basic industrial and safety related rights.

Faruque Ahmed
Mobile: 041 091 4118,
Wednesday May 14, 2008


CC to NSW Director General of Transport


Source: Sydney Taxi Corruption

Rum Colony Racism

You are welcome to examine the following in light of the NSW to Victorian Taxi Drivers' Safety.



--- In ozcabs@yahoogroups.com, Taxirob wrote:

One way to get attention
http://tools.goldcoast.com.au/stories/2536535.php



Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ozcabs/message/27126



--- In ozcabs@yahoogroups.com, "Ross Nelson" wrote:

GOOD ON THE MELBOURNE TAXI DRIVER PROTESTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I would suggest caution re demanding that safety screens be mandated.Sydney had screens mandated at the behest of the TWU.WE HATED THEM!!!90% of job satisfaction was blotted out.Shouting to communicate with passengers is highly stressful. Vision is impaired . also stressful.The third to last Taxi Driver to be slain in Sydney (Saptul Singh Suri) had a screen in his cab.I believe that screens should be available for those that want them.This could be a market based thing. If a base with 20 cabs has 10 with screens that are preferred over the non-screen cabs they will put more screens in.The taxi management that Peer calls 'mafia' made a lot of money out of installing screens in Sydney.If Melbourne does go down this road I hope that the VTDA become major installers.

Rossco
Who hated driving a cab with a screen.
Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ozcabs/message/27131





--- In ozcabs@yahoogroups.com, "Jimmy" wrote:

Spot on brother, exactly the same situation when in the post war years Australia imported the Migrant Factory Fodder. The difference being that those wogs had the balls to unionise and organise and the present taxi industry wogs ain't got the balls for jack all..........maybe with a handfull of exceptions. Well Victoria is taking the initiative when is NSW going to follow on......?.......or are they all too busy fighting amongst themselves and still trying to decide which TDA is going their way.Sadly when you have a lacky of the Taxi Council for president in the NSWTDA and a secretary that is also that way inclined, is it any wonder that strike action is a no no?A........ licking is the order of the day. Remember the NSW Taxi Council does not give a damn about bailee drivers. The expendible fodder sufficently manned by wogs who is going to worry?



Also consider who runs the NSW Taxi Council but a bunch of flea ridden geriatric Kangaroos.An excellent point you made Taxifixer.Remember Bob Woodger, he was an Aussie, and what support was there for his unfortunate demise?Youbert Hormozi had an excellent turn out. I know I was at both of them.For Woodger even a half an hour demo at parliament house was too much to ask for.Yes I am a wog too and bloody well proud of it. But I am ashamed of the apathy of my collegue wogs.


Jimmy.
Source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ozcabs/message/27125



--- In Sydney_TaxiCorruption@yahoogroups.com, "union_faruque" wrote:Re: melbourne Australia taxi strike

I am afraid the Minister of Transport and the Transport Workers Union mob may misguide or even sabotage this lawful demand of taxi drivers. Providing a safe work place regardless of the so called relationship i.e. bailor/bailee is the fundamental right of any worker.

Here is a blatant example of profit overtaking civil rights, human rights and industrial rights of workers under the Victorian Labor Government.

I won't be surprised of any idiotic or racist remark from the `chardonnay revolutionaries' of the ozcabs forum. First of all their silence says, they may have isolated from the real taxi drivers' community or the drivers in general do not trust them in the first place. Anyway, their beloved Channel Nine made them proud tonight!



--- In Sydney_TaxiCorruption@yahoogroups.com, "taxifixer" wrote:
April 30, 2008



Hundreds of Melbourne taxi drivers have blocked a major city intersection demanding better safety after one of their own was critically injured in a stabbing.Organisers say the protest will remain in place all night despite the arrest of a man this evening in connection with the stabbing.


An unidentified 23-year-old taxi driver, a student from India, was stabbed andcritically injured by a passenger in inner suburban Clifton Hill about 3am, police said.By late today, more than 1,000 people - almost exclusively from the Indian sub-continent and the Middle East- braved temperatures down to single digits for the sit-inat the corner of Flinders and Swanston streets, in the heart of Melbourne.


Unknown to the crowd, a 45-year-old man was arrested at his Alphington home about 7.30pm, police said.Parish Charles has been charged with attempted murder by Yarra detectives, police said.He appeared before an out-of-sessions court hearing and was remanded in custody to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court tomorrow.Protesters began gathering at the intersection about 6pm, with word of the protest spreading via mobile phones.Empty taxis and abandoned trams choked Swanston Street, one of Melbourne's busiest tram routes, as the protesters gathered in the shadow of Flinders Street station, watched by scores of police.Cabs, many double-parked, lay idle for blocks as the peaceful but sometimes rowdy protest gathered strength.The protesters demanded improved safety, including the introduction of protective screens for drivers.


One of the organisers, Indian-born taxi driver Jazz Randyboy, said cabbies wanted action."We get sick of complaining to the Victoria Police about our security. One of our friends was stabbed seven times and the cops are doing nothing. They say they can't get him," Mr Randyboy said."This is about getting our security, getting our rights back."The Victorian government must guarantee driver safety by introducing protective screens, he said.Many drivers believed police would put more effort into investigating an attack on a white driver, he said."There is too much racism in the Victoria Police. One police officer said to me that I am black and we bring all these problems into the country," he said."We think Australia is one of the best countries but after these experiences we think it's one of the worst. This is the most racist country in the world," he said.


Protesters will hold their ground overnight, Mr Randyboy said."It's going right through to tomorrow morning. They are not going home or do anything else. They will sit here until the government or someone talks to us."One of the protesters told the crowd: "We will be sitting here as long as it is required. We just want justice".Another yelled: "We're not going home. We're not going to take this shit anymore."Victorian Public Transport Minister Lynne Kosky said earlier today protective screens were being trialled and could soon be introduced in taxis for drivers who wanted them.Late this evening, ABC Online reported that Ms Kosky would meet with taxi industry representatives tomorrow.
AAP

Source: http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/Sydney_TaxiCorruption/message/1056

--- In freeamericanow@yahoogroups.com, "union_faruque" wrote:

NSW TAXI DRIVERS ASSOCIATION
INCORPORATING BAILEE DRIVERS, OWNER DRIVERS AND LESSEE DRIVERS
Inc.no. 9882558 ABN 98 653 928 763 PO Box 322, Alexandria NSW 2015
'A Fair Share of a Fair Fare'

NSW to Victorian Taxi Drivers' Safety

Taxi drivers used to be expendable commodities like the ANZACS to the British. Greedy taxi networks and companies did nothing to save human lives. However, due to the courageous stand of a few dedicated taxi drivers, the NSW community got the Keatsdale Report, Dalziel Report and Cook Reports; all vital in achieving taxi driver safety. The grateful community of NSW gave enough money thorough the "$1.00 flag-fall rise" for taxi-drivers' safety with the GPS and screen recommendations of the Keatsdale Report. The NSW government then extracted $40.00 a day from the vulnerable taxi drivers for their own safety. In return they got unworkable cameras and unreliable GPS systems. All of those little achievements are going to be buried by the partisan Madden Report- under the leadership of the NSW Labor Government. Tragically this $1000.00 per word David Madden Report is without any direction or vision whatsoever.

In the meantime two more taxi drivers were brutally murdered in NSW and many more were robbed and injured.


Today with our Victorian colleagues stood up for their own safety in facing down the police in Melbourne.


Channel Nine sinking to unfortunate disparagement and calculated derision of taxi drivers amounting to veiled racism could not resist the insult of describing the attention winning stunt on the part of the drivers of removing their shirts in the wintry weather thus " for reasons best known to themselves drivers removed their shirts". How puerile.


Penultimately what drivers want here in NSW and undoubtedly Victoria is workable legislation, regulation and mechanisms ensuring workers' safety to save lives.



Faruque Ahmed
Media Manager, Mobile: 041 091 4118,
Wednesday, April 30, 2008

NSW Bailees Do Not Receive Entitlements

NSW Bailees Do Not Receive Entitlements

--- In NSWTDAFORUM@yahoogroups.com, "tedtaxifo" wrote:
Re:IPART letter (To the brave and the bold for comments please.)

In response to my paragraph on Entitlements Peer wrote as below. I do not believe he is correct. My statement about the almost universal non-payment of Entitlements in Sydney is strictly factual, I believe.Which is potentially important to the IPART taxi fares assessments, this or next year, given that on many matters IPART's "facts" are a long way from the reality.

Yes, Entitlements are a statutory determination by the Industrial Relations Commission. As such they are a CONDITION of driving a cab ! And they SHOULD be allowed for in payins and paid to all permanent drivers. ( So far agreed with Peer. )

But in fact in Sydney they are almost universally NOT paid to drivers by the operators and that has been the case for so long that operators with impunity do NOT allow for the payment and cost of Entitlements in the Payins. (The currently lower than Maximum Payins – as determined by the IRC – are not because of that, but as generally agreed, are because of the shortage of drivers and attracting drivers. Refer alsoIPART Issues page 10)

The strong evidence for stating that Entitlements in Sydney are almost universally not paid is three fold:

1. The damning evidence extracted from the Taxi Industry Assoc'n (John Bowe & Howard Harrison) about virtual non-payment of NSW Entitlements in the IRC 10Feb2005 HEARINGS (Transcript extracts below, a very interesting read !).

2. The 2007 PwC Survey finding that 2% of NSW drivers are paid Entitlements as per Page 10 of the 2008 IPART Issues paper (also a very interesting read !).


3. And that there is one known (perhaps 2?) Sydney driver paid Entitlements on Method 1 – and only 2, 3 or 4 others (maybe) out of 17,000 drivers who may have got something by threatening action etc.Cheers,Ted

EXTRACTS from IRC 2004 / 544 HEARING on Thursday 10Feb2005 CONNORC.Hearings Transcript pages 1-84Witness: Mr JOHN BOWE(Exhibit 21 : TIA submission 12May04 by Mr John Bowe, executive director Taxi IndustryAssociation (TIA) 1982 –2003, 40 years in taxi industry as driver, owner, coops director.)

Q. You've asked the tribunal to accept … that the taxi operators across the board are facing the cost of driver entitlements of some three to $4,000 a year. Do you see that?

A. M'mmm.

Q. That's simply false with respect to, in your figures, 70% of taxi operators, isn't it?

A. No, it's not, that is what the entitlements add up to.

Q. But they're not actually paying them are they?

A. Well, it was not up to us to tell IPRT (IPART) that people aren't paying them.… … …
Pp36 Q. Your evidence is that, notwithstanding that customers are paying for those entitlementsthrough the fare, that in 70% of cases it's not going to the driver. Is that right?

A. That's my personal opinion, yes.

Q. That's just fraud on the public, isn't it?

A. Well, I wouldn't agree with that because you are setting that that is something that they are bound by law to pay.… … …

Pages 50 - 68Witness : Mr HOWARD HARRISON( Exhibit 23 : 1 February 2005 statement by Mr Howard Harrison of ?? Avenue, Toongabbie, chief executive officer of the Taxi Industry Association (TIA), 40 years as driver, owner, CCC Director, TCS employee.

Pp 53 CLEGG : Can I just indicate that it is put forward really as a model and Mr Harrison will concede that for instance it is based on full entitlements being paid to drivers, just as it's based on operators receiving maximum pay-ins. And we have evidence in these proceedings to say that that doesn't really happen in most cases.… … …-0-0-0-0-

Source: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/NSWTDAFORUM/message/4911

Peer’s Peers

Peer’s Peers


It was Peer Lindholdt's peer who welcomed Mr. Adolph Hitler and his marching army with open legs! That's why it was easier for Lindholdt to invent and publish a phrase like "Sea of Brown Hands" without any apology.

Lindholdt is a professional drunk and remote control journalist (if he is a journalist in the first place!) who generally does not attend any court hearings or meetings! However, many of his articles got the sign and symptom of the Third Reich's `polished philosophy' along with his arrogance and ignorance like the Israelis and their supporters!!

However, the combined arrogance and ignorance of Jools and Lindholdt lead the Mac Bank to the garden path and I warned them about it, in front of everyone at the Paramata meeting. Remember, it was Lindholdt who introduced Jolos with the Mac Bank mobs and privately admitted the fact that Jools double crossed him and everyone! Yet, publicly he is providing oxygen and support for his dishonest mate Jools contrary to the industry, public and workers interest.

Lindholdt must restrict himself on taxi matters in taxi related forums and should he wish to talk about any other issues then he is welcome to visit many links I have provided because those links are read and contributed by many around the globe! Surely, contribution of a person will reveal his true identity and culture.


--- In NSWTDAFORUM@yahoogroups.com, "Ross Nelson" wrote:
RE: [NSWTDAFORUM] Faruque

Well said Peer!

(See, I do give credit where it is due) However Peer did praise Ahmed for his dumb media release. (In another post) I fail to see where insulting Miranda Devine helps the Taxi Driver cause.CHRISTmas should always be spelt that way and not the stupid commercial `Xmas'. Perhaps Ahmed has a personal problem with writing `Christ'. Maybe he is just lazy."Increasingly impossible?" Yeah that helps the cause.

rossco


OnBehalf Of Peer LindholdtSent: Friday, 9 November 2007 9:48 AMTo: [NSWTDAFORUM]

Faruque

I received this message from Faruque yesterday and expect it on the NSW TDA Forum in due course. It illustrates clearly why he, while possible a valuable committee member, is the wrong person to be spokesperson for the association.

> For the time being I am avoiding disgusting Peer Lindholdt's RACIST and SECTERIAN attacks on me. He is well-known for his racist and sectarian views and expressions.>Evidently, to criticise or disagree with Faruque automatically makes one RACIST and SECTARIAN.If I or anyone else label him "a fanatical Muslim" he has only himself to blame.Reading his various utterings, especially on the Web, and especially about Zionists, it becomes instantly clear who is racist and sectarian.

He and his likeminded mates do more harm to the standing of Australia's moderate Muslims than anyone. Faruque knows I like him as a person despite his racist propaganda. But, that is becoming harder and harder when he insults peoples families and makes totally unfounded, often outrageous allegations.

PEER

Source: Sydney Taxi Corruption

Parasites or Cowards?

Parasites or Cowards?


I don’t like parasites and the apartheid system. I also don’t like to see racism and sectarianism used to divide and rule workers and the public in general.

Right now we have one taxi fare level and three taxi levels i.e. Rust Buckets, Executive Taxis and Silver Service to con passengers and drivers as well as to cover up the sheer negligence and incompetence of the NSW Ministry and Department of Transport in favor of the ‘taxi mafia’ contrary to the wishes and interests of the traveling public and workers.

Should a group wish to express their superiority and innovative expertise in the taxi industry then they must identify, operate, manage, audit and report on themselves and their networks independently rather than hide behind other unsuspecting taxi drivers and surviving like parasites. It is opportunistic and cowardly to say the least.

Deliberately running down the taxi networks and compromising the public’s interest and taxi drivers’ safety with the direct assistance of the NSW Passenger Transport Act and Regulations to maximize the profit of the ‘taxi mafia’ is sickening. The issue is further complicated by the same Act and Regulations which allow un-roadworthy taxis to be on the road. Then the same Departmental spin doctors embark on totally illegal and immoral taxi driver bashing to hoodwink the public and to cover up their own negligence and incompetence by carrying out show pony style inspections, blocking the roads and punishing hapless bailee drivers. The management of the roadworthiness of bailed cabs is entirely outside the control of the innocent bailees. Their only choice is to accept what they are offered or go hungry.

Right now, the same ‘taxi mafia’ with their divine right have engineered the 13LIMO Service from the taxi head quarters! It appears, the same ‘taxi mafia’ employed by the masochistic and powerless contingent of the industry are going to bleed taxi jobs and pass them over to the new so called Limousine Service as they did earlier to the Silver Service.