From the Editor: Strong Leadership needed at CPVV

Last month the Victorian Regulator’s CEO, Aaron de Rozario, finished his time with Commercial Passenger Vehicles Victoria (CPVV) and moved into a position with the National Transport Commission.

​Six years ago Mr de Rozario took over the helm from the acting CEO James Holyman, and at that time said that he “was looking forward to meeting Victorian stakeholders and working with the industry to ensure a sustainable future”.

​But, how did that work out? It was surprisingly not so good for Victorian stakeholders!

Under Mr de Rozario’s reign, the Victorian taxi and hire car industry was deregulated, licences were revoked with minimal value paid as compensation, Uber was permitted to operate illegally for three years without repercussions, more forms and procedures were introduced, more onus was placed on the Booking Service Providers thereby causing less work for CPVV personnel, touting was made legal, maximum age of vehicles for taxis and hire cars was abolished and there were no fare increases.

So what did Mr de Rozario do in his six-year tenure at CPVV? He destroyed the Victorian taxi and hire car industry!

Three of CPVV’s top personnel, Aaron de Rozario (CPVV CEO), Al Martin (CPVV Executive Director) and Megan Burke-O’Neil (Chairman of CPVV Commissioners) have all left CPVV. Currently, Tammy O’Connor is CPVV’s acting CEO. Let’s hope that she has good oversight of everything that is happening in the industry and within the CPVV, otherwise this mess will only get prodigious.

More news in our July 2021 Edition here.