Benjamin Wash says Uber must accept some responsibility for the attacks and urged immediate political action from the Palaszczuk government

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

The Taxi Council Queensland has called on the state government to intervene after conflict with the ride-sharing app company Uber escalated to physical violence.

Two Uber drivers were bashed by a group of men in Fortitude Valley and Kangaroo Point early on Monday morning. A third motorist who did not work for Uber was also bashed.

Uber debate kicks off new taxi plan for Queensland government Read more

A Brisbane taxi boss, Greg Collins, reportedly gloated about the incident on a public Facebook page while encouraging a “more militant” approach.

In the post, which has since been removed but appears as a screenshot on Fairfax Media, Collins advises a taxi driver to slap an Uber driver “like I did to the prick in Warner Street the other night”.

But on Tuesday Taxi Council Queensland’s chief executive, Benjamin Wash, denied there was evidence that anyone from the industry was responsible.

“I can’t tell you enough how upsetting this is, because it means there are no winners,” he said.

He said Uber must shoulder some responsibility for the attacks.

“I think Uber coming into any jurisdiction, operating based on a set of rules that they determine, ignoring the rule of law, and just expecting everyone to come on board leaves them exposed to some degree of culpability.”

In a statement on Monday, Uber blamed the campaign by taxi groups for inciting violence.



“The taxi lobby and its associates have long used fear, misinformation and intimidation in its campaign against ride-sharing and it would be a very worrying turn of events if these alleged assaults happened as a result of this campaign,” a spokesman said.

Queensland’s taxi strategy is being reviewed by the Palaszczuk government, but Wash urged immediate political leadership.

“If the law needs to be changed, by all means change the law,” he said. “But until such time as the law is changed, people need to abide by it and only the government has the power to enforce it.”

The taxi industry has long waged a campaign against Uber but Wash denied the industry was simply sour about its monopoly being taken away.



“It’s about law and order,” he said.