MEDIA RELEASE - Robert Woodger

MEDIA RELEASE

We the NSW Taxi Drivers Association express our deepest sympathy and condolences to the tragic loss of our colleague Robert Woodger, which might have been avoided. We renew our pledge to ensure that Robert's death won't be in vain.

A few brave drivers initiated the long overdue taxi drivers' safety issue. Since then a few items like cameras, Global Positioning System and the hopeless safety screen found their way to the industry. The public and the drivers paid enough money to fund such programmes through $1.00 flag fall rise and the resultant 80/20 split ($16.00 + $24.00 =$40.00 per day). The taxi companies took the money and played a sick joke with our safety. The NSW Labour Party led government ignored the good works of the following reports:

1. Driving Forces (Minister for Industrial Relations and the Attorney General),
2. Driving Forward, (Minister for Industrial Relations and the Attorney General),
3. Keatsdale Report (The DoT and NSW WorkCover Authority),
4. Dalziel Report (Sydney University) and
5. Alan Cook reports.

Our predecessor, the NSW CWA in their Media Release warned the government in advance. Yet three years later, the current `elite' David Madden report of 2006 following the Youbert Hormozi murder is gathering dust on the Ministerial shelf. The culture of neglect, profit and arrogance has overtaken public and drivers safety. The long overdue and repeatedly requested legislative framework to ensure the proper adherence and enforcement of the Duty of Care legislations under the Occupational Health and Safety Act remained elusive as ever! The cry for a public education campaign has fallen on deaf ears too.

We appeal for an open and fair debate and discussion regarding taxi drivers' safety to save lives like Robert Woodger.

Faruque Ahmed
New South Wales Taxi Drivers Association
Mobile: 041 091 4118, Thursday, 28 June 2007

NSW Cabbie Welfare Association Inc. Inc No 9875412PO Box 349 Alexandria 2015
Mobile – 04 109 141185/12/2004

Media Release

We welcome the general thrust of the recently released Cook Report. We also welcome Minister Costa's expressed desire to consult with the service providers rather than usual "suspects" who are in so many ways responsible for the mess in the taxi industry. However, the association cannot ignore the manoeuvrings behind the scene to predetermine the outcome of the final report. Specifically, the control mechanism adopted by the same bureaucrats who by their own actions and omissions allowed the lawlessness and reduction of service quality as well as compromised accountability and lack of transparency in the taxi industry.

The Taxi Task Force must be free and unencumbered in its reform agenda.For the greater good of the industry and community, the Association has decided to merge with the NSW Taxi Drivers Association. We hope the virtually member-less Transport Workers Union will do the same instead of acting against the wishes and interest of taxi drivers.

Our extensive membership has voted to move over to the NSW TDA and as activists we shall be working towards the total coverage of taxi drivers by that Association.We will go forward under the Yellow Ribbons of Taxi Unity.

Faruque Ahmed
President
NSW Cabbie Welfare Association Inc.

My response to TDA Forum (controlled by megabyte Nazis)

My response to TDA Forum (controlled by megabyte Nazis)


Further to Khomeini to Bin Laden and Where is the money?, take it easy Peer. This is an epidemic. We have requested the Minister of Transport earlier to initiate a cost negative public education campaign to improve taxi service and save taxi drivers life. To his wisdom, the Minister's office hoodwinked us.

The reality is taxi drivers carry more than billion passengers a years. The drivers neither attack them nor rob them. Similarly, most passengers are good and co-operative. Only a small proportion of passengers due to drag, alcohol or other reason beyond our control do the wrong things including fare evasion, abusing the driver or attacking the driver violently. However, the media and legal system do not understand or even many occasions they do not try to understand them. The taxi mafia in many ways encourages driver bashings of many types. I can add many examples if you like.

Last night another so called `hit and run' in Victoria by taxi drivers is being reported. We were told about the `Miranda story' too. This days, many violent and disgusting passengers of `right types' force taxi drivers to stop. They do not understand the meaning of the word "NO" and not for hire. Last night three times I struggled to avoid those dangerous and violent passengers and save my own life. I went to courts and attempted to assist a few drivers who were the real victims of passenger aggression and violence. It is very hard. Only two weeks ago six ‘animals’ attacked me at George Street. I had independent witnesses and cc tv footages containing five minutes of street fight and to support my case. Yet, the so called passengers are going to sue me for attacking them!

Do you like to know the passengers? They are the professional victims. They never pay taxi fare to any one. 90% of the time they insult and abuse drivers. They also rob taxi drivers.

Do like to know who facilitates their crime spree? If the Petersham Police Station, Regent Street Station were open, probably I would have more chances to survive! Unfortunately, they were close for saving money. I do not want top talk about the network assistance.

Source: NSWTDAEXEC



--- In NSWTDAFORUM@yahoogroups.com, Peer Lindholdt wrote:

Told by whom?This kind of reporting is utterly irresponsible. It infers guilt before the court has reached its verdict.The driver has 10 young and drunk hooligans testifying he hit their mate deliberately. What chance has the driver got to prove that the drunk SOB jumped in front of the cab deliberately to stop it getting away?Had the driver stopped and left the safety of his cab to see what had happened, there is every chance he would have been beaten to a pulp or worse. He did the right thing and went to the cops reporting the incident and that he might have hit someone.Faruque's "Every cabbie dreams of killing passengers" is equally irresponsible IMO as it sounds like a statement, not a joke.PEER

Source: NSWTDAFORUM


--- In Sydney_TaxiCorruption@yahoogroups.com, "union_faruque" wrote:
Cabbie accused of killing teen

Cabbie accused of killing teen
Every cabbie dreams of killing passengers!
By Mariza O'Keefe
June 21, 2007 06:56pm
Article from: AAP
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A MAXI-CAB driver deliberately ran down and killed one of his 11 teenage passengers when they began throwing beer bottles during an altercation, a Melbourne court was told today.

The dead youth, Xavier Salmon, 17, had been a passenger along with 10 friends in a maxi-cab taxi when a rowdy trip to Port Melbourne on December 6, 2005 ended in a confrontation with the driver.

A little earlier, the teenagers had also abused former Test cricketer Shane Warne when his car pulled up alongside their maxi taxi, the court heard.

Crown prosecutor Andrew Tinney told a Victorian Supreme Court jury that after the altercation with the teenage passengers, the taxi driver, Rajbinder Singh Shahi, deliberately drove at Mr Salmon at up to 50km/h and struck him.

The impact sent him flying through the air and he landed on the roadway.
Mr Salmon died later that day in hospital of head injuries. Another of the teenagers was also hit and suffered leg injuries.

Mr Shahi, 30, of Epping, pleaded not guilty to a charge of murder.

Mr Tinney told the jury that before the fatal incident, Mr Salmon and his friends had abused Warne who was driving near the Crown Casino.

He said an exchange between the group and Warne "descended into unpleasantness" and some of the taxi passengers threw lollipops onto the former Test star's bonnet.

Mr Tinney said the prosecution would argue that Mr Shahi deliberately ran over Mr Salmon and that he intended to kill him or cause him serious injury.

Mr Shahi's barrister David McKenzie told the jury that at no stage did his client intend to kill or cause serious injury to Mr Salmon.

He said Mr Shahi became afraid and anxious for his safety with many of the 11 teenagers in the cab swearing as well as being rude and abusive.

"The defence says the aggressive, abusive, threatening behaviour of some of these males generated in him ... fear and panic to get out of the area," Mr McKenzie said.

He said after the stubbies were thrown at his cab, Mr Shahi feared for his safety and just wanted to leave the area but Mr Salmon had gone in front of the cab.

Mr Tinney said after the cab struck Mr Salmon, Mr Shahi immediately drove off, neither stopping or slowing down.

Mr Tinney said Mr Shahi went to a local police station and told an officer his windscreen had been broken when someone threw a stubby at it.

Mr Shahi allegedly said he may have hit someone, but did not stay at the scene because he was scared.

The trial before Justice Bernard Teague continues tomorrow.

Sources: Sydney Taxi Corruption
NSWTDAEXEC