On behalf of the Tasmanian Greens, I was proud to offer my strong support for the Hobart taxi drivers at their strike today, which was called following recent racist, destructive, threatening, and violent attacks.
Everyone in Tasmania has a right to live a safe and happy life. Alarmingly though we’ve seen race-related incidents on the rise in recent times, with attacks on taxi drivers the latest example.
As a community we all need to do better dealing with these issues, but the government has to play a leading role. It’s crucial their approach is driven by evidence about what’s worked in other jurisdictions around Australia and the world.
For a start the government could and should be working closely with the multicultural community and experts to develop an anti-racism strategy. We also need to see much more invested into prevention, education, and rehabilitation support services. This is what will keep our community safe, and provide a better chance at a good life for young people too.
On top of the work the government should be doing to stop these sorts of things from happening, we also need to recognise the impact these incidents have had on taxi drivers. Drivers who have had their car damaged will face not just the cost of repairs, but also significant lost income while the car is off the road. We need to be looking at what we can do to support and compensate these drivers so they aren’t facing even more hardship through a situation that is not their fault.
We hope Jeremy Rockliff and his colleagues will seriously consider these issues and take the evidence-based action that’s needed to drive positive change.
