Courier Mail, 8 Feb 2017
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QUEENSLAND cabbies will campaign from the driver’s seat as part of an “election of­fensive” against the Palaszczuk Government’s decision to legalise ride-sharing.

Taxi Council Queensland yesterday launched a protect program that will involve heavy campaigning in every electorate in the lead up to the election expected this year. Chief executive Benjamin Wash said it was “entirely possible” customers would see political stickers and find themselves handed other campaign material.

He said cabbies will be trained on how to best spread the message to “ensure con­sistency” across tbe board.
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Mr Wash said he had sent a list of TCQ’s demands to every political party and would give them until April to re­spond, before they were shared publicly.

https://twitter.com/9NewsBrisbane/status/828880921315078144

AAP on February 7, 2017, 11:43 am
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Taxi Council Queensland has vowed to campaign in every state electorate as part of an “election offensive” over what it claims is the government’s failure to protect cab owners.

Chief executive Benjamin Wash said it would enlist the help of thousands of volunteers, many of whom were expected to be TCQ members and those affected by the downturn in the taxi industry.
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Mr Wash said the TCQ had written to each political party and would throw its support behind any that supported its call for a Personalised Transport Commission.

By AAP

A group representing taxi drivers in Queensland has denied a multi-million dollar “fighting fund” will be donated to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
Taxi Council Queensland member Peter Conohan told the ABC on Monday that members had voted unanimously on Tuesday in favour of a $720-per-head levy, equating to about $2.3 million in total, to support the party before the upcoming state election.
“This is most probably our last chance. Pauline is a worker, she voices her opinion very verbally, where everyone else has put their head in the sand,” Mr Conohan told ABC Radio.
Senator Hanson has been a vocal critic of the Palaszczuk government’s decision to legalise ride-sharing services such as Uber in August last year.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/01/25/10/11/qld-taxis-to-donate-2-3m-to-hanson#YSSyW0uThg6HTTcU.99

A group representing taxi drivers in Queensland has denied a multi-million dollar “fighting fund” will be donated to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.

Taxi licence holders had told ABC Radio on Wednesday that the state’s 3200-odd taxi operators would each contribute $720 per head to support One Nation.

They said members of Taxi Council Queensland had voted unanimously on Tuesday in favour of the levy, which would equate to around $2.3 million going to the party ahead of the upcoming state election.
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But the Taxi Council released a statement following the interviews denying any money would go towards One Nation.

It said while Senator Hanson had attended the meeting and given a speech, “no finances whatsoever are going towards any political candidate or party”.
© AAP 2017

​http://www.9news.com.au/national/2017/01/25/10/11/qld-taxis-to-donate-2-3m-to-hanson

Ben speaks to the CEO of the Taxi Council about rumours they will donate more than $2 million to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party.

http://www.4bc.com.au/podcast/is-the-taxi-council-really-giving-millions-to-one-nation/

Queensland taxi drivers deny $2.3m donation to One Nation The Sydney Morning Herald
Queensland’s taxi industry ‘raising $2.3m for Pauline Hanson’s One Nation’ ABC News
Pauline Hanson says Bill Shorten playing ‘populist politics’ The Courier-Mail