All-Australian Ride-Share App
Putting Our Economy and Workers First
When I look at some of the problems facing Australia, I often think to myself if I was in charge how would I solve them? One of the industries I’ve noticed that could be reformed is the ride share or gig economy industry.
I believe that Australia's personal transportation industry should be owned and operated by Australians, for the benefit of our economy and workers. That's why I am proposing the creation of an all-Australian ride-share app that integrates our taxi industry, empowers our drivers, and keeps more money in the country. My plan is a comprehensive vision for a transportation platform that truly puts the interests of the Australian people first.
The Need for an All-Australian Ride-Share Platform
I've seen the devastating impact that foreign-owned ride-sharing platforms have had on our local transportation industry. Traditional taxi services, which have long been a staple of our cities and towns, have struggled to compete with the deep pockets and aggressive pricing strategies of these global giants. Many taxi drivers have seen their incomes plummet, while others have been forced out of the industry altogether. When was the last time you saw an old Aussie cabbie or Uber driver?
The profits generated by these foreign ride-sharing companies do not stay in Australia. Instead, they flow overseas to line the pockets of investors and executives in Silicon Valley and beyond. This represents a massive drain on our economy, with billions of dollars in transportation spending leaving the country every year.
I believe it's time to put a stop to this bleeding of our economic resources and create a ride-sharing platform that is truly owned and operated by Australians. By keeping our transportation dollars within our borders, we can ensure that our economy benefits from the growth of this vital industry.
The Singapore Model: Integrating Taxis and Ride-Shares
Singapore provides a powerful model to achieve this vision. There, the ride-share app Grab has successfully integrated taxis into its platform, allowing both ride-share drivers and cabbies to thrive side-by-side. This approach ensures that transportation dollars remain in the local economy, supporting Singaporean businesses and workers.
Under my plan, I would follow Singapore's lead and create an all-Australian ride-share app incorporating our existing taxi fleet. This platform will be owned and operated entirely by Australian citizens, with a strict ban on foreign workers. Every dollar spent on rides will stay within our borders, pumping money back into our economy.
Providing a fairer deal for drivers would foster a sense of loyalty and pride in our homegrown platform. No longer would drivers be treated as mere cogs in a foreign corporation's profit machine. Instead, they would be valued partners in a national movement to reclaim our transportation industry for the Australian people.
Empowering Our Drivers: Undercutting Uber's Fees
I know that Australian drivers have long been exploited by foreign-owned ride-sharing giants like Uber, which take a staggering 27.5% cut from every fare. With such exorbitant fees there is plenty of room for our all-Australian app to undercut Uber and offer lower commissions and higher earnings for drivers.
Under my plan, I would cut Uber's fees in half or more, giving Australian drivers a compelling reason to switch to our homegrown platform.
The Economic Benefits
Uber's revenue in Australia is not explicitly stated. However, it is mentioned that Australia is Uber's "crown jewel" and that the company's "collections" surged to $9.2 billion in Australia.
The launch of our all-Australian ride-share app would have far-reaching economic benefits for our nation. By keeping transportation dollars within our borders, we can ensure that our economy benefits from the growth of this vital industry.
By empowering our drivers and offering lower commissions, we could create a more equitable distribution of wealth within the industry. Instead of lining the pockets of foreign investors, more money would stay in the hands of hardworking Australians who can then reinvest it back into our economy through spending and job creation.
Furthermore, integrating taxis into our platform, would help revitalize this struggling industry and preserve the many jobs and businesses relying on it. This would provide a much-needed boost to our economy, especially in our cities and towns where taxi services are a critical part of the transportation infrastructure.
Finally, the issue of remittances out of our economy by foreign workers through Western Union and other money transfer services, is another serious problem undermining our economy. Below is a quick video explaining this further.
Putting Australia First
As a nationalist, I believe that the interests of the Australian people must always be prioritised. That's why my plan puts the needs of our drivers, businesses, and economy ahead of the profits of foreign corporations and the migrant workers that have helped them dominate the market.
Creating a transportation platform owned and operated by the Australian people would send a powerful message to the world that we are a nation that values the hard work and ingenuity of our citizens. It would show we are willing to take bold action to protect our economic sovereignty and put the well-being of our people first.
Foreign Domination
Unfortunately, definitive statistics on the percentage of foreign workers in the Australian ride-share industry are hard to come by. Ride-share companies like Uber are notoriously secretive about their driver demographics.
However, there are some data points we can look at:
A 2019 survey by the University of Sydney found that nearly half (47%) of ride-share drivers in Sydney were born overseas. Of those, 40% were on temporary visas, mostly student or working holiday visas.
In 2020, the Australian Taxation Office estimated that there were around 85,000 ride-share drivers operating in Australia. However, they did not break this down by nationality or visa status.
Anecdotal evidence suggests a significant proportion of ride-share drivers in major cities like Sydney and Melbourne are international students or other temporary visa holders. These workers often turn to ride-sharing to maximise their work hours they have bought access to under the guise of “student visas” from one of our many Ghost Colleges.
While the exact percentage of foreign ride-share drivers is unclear, the available data suggests it is substantial, likely in the tens of thousands.
Government Protection and Market Dominance
To ensure the success of our all-Australian ride-share app, I propose that the government enact legislation to ban foreign ride-sharing companies from operating in our country. This would create a level playing field for our homegrown platform and allow it to capture the entire market share of the ride-sharing industry in Australia.
With the full support and protection of the government, our all-Australian ride-share app would be well-positioned to dominate the market and keep 100% of transportation dollars within our borders. This would represent a massive boost to our economy and provide a powerful stimulus for job creation and economic growth across the country.
Banning foreign ride-sharing companies would send a clear message to the world that Australia is a sovereign nation that prioritising the well-being of its own citizens over the interests of foreign corporations.
This isn’t a unique move as a quick search will show you other countries who have taken this protectionist stance.
I am well aware this bold plan has a variety of factors requiring consideration, and needs the power of the State and many policy changes. This is a broad outline of how I would attack what I believe to be one of the many serious issues facing Australia.
Letting migrants and multinational corporations strip-mine our nation through remittances, tax avoidance and off-shoring profits is not a version of Australia I am willing to accept.
FarCue
Great idea... and it needs to be extended.. I will come back and give a longer reply, I'm moving house this weekend and just grabbing some dinner before I do another trip...