Thursday 30 October 2014

AUSTRALIA ALL OVER

LISTEN TO AUSTRALIA ALL OVER on Sunday mornings on ABC Radio. It's from 6 am to 9 am or 7 am to 10 am. A couple of hours at least. I don't know. My brain doesn't do well on Sunday mornings but it is worth reaching out from under the blanket to switch on the clock/radio. That's 774 in Melbourne. 

The show is about Australians and Australia. The host Macca, gets calls from all over the world, from all kinds of Aussies. He doesn't get many calls from motorcycle riders talking about what a great country this is to ride a bike in but. 

We especially want riders to ring in about their local Christmas TOY RUN.

We also want Aussie riders touring or living overseas to tell Macca about TOY RUNs where they are. In Canada for example, TOY RUNs are held in September and October due to the harsh winters.

The talkback number is 1300 700 222.

Damien
IRG

Wednesday 29 October 2014

RACV SUPPORTS THE TAC ANTIBIKE TAX

RACV gives very little to motorcycling and it supports the discriminatory TAC tax. Royalauto runs far more bicycle stories than it does motorcycle or scooter stories. Now's your chance to have a say. Submit your feedback and pass this link on to as many riders as you can.
 
 

submit your feedback

We would love to hear from you so we can continue to provide you with the best service possible. Send us your feedback and we will endeavour to respond as soon as we can.
RACV

Monday 27 October 2014

JOIN THE INDEPENDENT RIDERS GROUP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPt9yQJbclM

TEMPORARY AUSTRALIANS 2014

Episode 2 - Sunday Nov 2 at 3 pm and Monday Nov 3 at 1.10 am on ONE

We examine what many believe has been the cultural persecution of the motorcycle community in Queensland,

Jonesy checks out a BMW for his shed and Ralph explains why he rides with a disability around Perth. 

Hirsty looks at the future of custom motorcycling and checks out Darwin’s purpose built motorcycle centre. 

We examine how dirt drags started in WA 

and get the good oil on Heavy Duty Magazine and it’s venture into overseas tours and motorcycle television 

plus we take a closer look at the Queensland Anti-rights laws.

Check you local Guides for other repeats and variations during each week.

NB Episode 1  will air again on Sunday November 2 at 1 am.

AUSTRALIA ALL OVER - CALL MACCA

AUSTRALIAN RIDERS from across the country and overseas should ring MACCA over the coming month and tell him about your TOY RUN specifically or just the joys of touring OZ in general.

You might be Fred from Adelaide doing the Perth Charity Ride or Jan from Hobart who is doing the Vancouver TOY RUN this year. Or maybe you're Tim from Brisbane who is taking in the view from high on Mount Kosiosko. You get the idea.
Who's MACCA?

What!!

Australia All Over. ABC Radio. Sunday Mornings. Do not admit you've never listened to it. Asio will hear and you'll be deported.
The phone numbers are 02 8333 1020 or 02 8333 1500.
The talkback line is 1300 700 222.
Please get these numbers on facebook, twitter, websites, blogs whatever. There must be riders or X riders out there who have something positive to say about this great Australian Christmas tradition, the TOY RUN.
Damien
IRG


POLICE BLITZ THE ISLAND

Oops; bet VicPol Highway Patrol weren't expecting to be the subjects of an expose on their recent enthusiastic Operation targeting motorcyclists travelling to and from Phillip Island MotoGP!
Well done Boris!! Read his Bike Me article belo... See More

THE VIC ELECTION IS ON NOV 29

THIS OBSERVATION came from the US of A on 

www.facebook.com/independentridersgroup

Good Day Australia, I am Wolf President of the Buffalo Soldiers NC-VA here in America. I Rode in your country last year and really enjoyed it. I covered 8368 km in the two months I rode. From Lismore Vic to Adelaide, up to Melbourne and on to Sydney. I got to ride on your Great Ocean Road and to towns like Bendigo, and Geelong. I will return again to ride some more up the east coast. I heard a lot while I was there about how the politicians are shutting down things for bikes. I just voted this morning here in America. Make your voice heard in Parliment, talking to one another is just talk. But Taking it to your Representatives is the only way you can get change. I ask once why not protest and I was told they will take me to jail. OK TAKE ME TO JAIL. But not just one person but 500,000 must stand and be willing to go all on the same day. If you want change be willing to do something other than talking in the pubs. Talk where a change can really count call a meeting with your Representives and tell them what you want or VOTE THEM OUT. You have the power if you use it. The vote scares them more than any gun or bomb. The will go your way if you vote. Get the man in that sees things your way.

Friday 24 October 2014

GIANTS TO PLAY FOR LAST STANDERS

MONDAY, December 1, 2014. Protest run to the Nation's Capital. How serious are you about keeping Australia free?

email: thelaststandact@hotmail.com

THE GIANTS ON SUNDAY NIGHT

http://thelaststandact.miiduu.com/

Tuesday 21 October 2014

VIDEO NEWSLETTER 6

The Independent Riders Group Video Newsletter 6

www.independentridersgroup.com

TOY RUN FOR Fr BOB - PASS IT ON

Last updated October 22, 2014.


Australian TOY RUNs began in Perth, Newcastle and Melbourne in the 1970s. In 2014 there are more than 50 in cities and towns across OZ. If you want to make a positive statement about being Australian and being a rider, make the effort, grab an Aussie flag and fly it at a TOY RUN. Help us get the best things about Christmas in Australia and Australian motorcycling into the main stream media.

MELBOURNE TOY RUN FOR FATHER BOB. Five assembly areas. Sunday, December 7. Destination: 91 Victoria Avenue, Albert Park. Melway map 2J J 8. Family & friends not riding can go directly to Father Bob's to watch the bikes arrive about noon. Albert Park has great eateries and Jock's ice creamery is a must for kids. The beach is at the end of the road too. Spend your money locally and keep local businesses happy. I'm having a late lunch at the Beach Hotel on the corner of Victoria Avenue and Beaconsfield Parade.

WERRIBEE ASSEMBLY AREA. Chatterbox Coffee Shop. 63 Watton Street, Werribee. Melway map 205 J 8. Run leader is Dean. Assemble from 9.30 am. No fees. No ride registration. Just roll up. Please do not overtake on the run.

EPPING ASSEMBLY AREA. The BP Servo corner Cooper Street and Scanlon Drive. Melway map 181 E 11. Run leader is John. Assemble from 9.30 am. No fees. No ride registration. Just roll up. Departs 10.30 am.

MORDIALLOC ASSEMBLY AREA. The inbound service lanes in Main Street near the top round about. Melway map 92 reference E 1. Run leader is Slim. Assemble from 9.30 am. No fees. No ride registration. Just roll up. Departs at 11.15 am. The route is up the Nepean Highway, left at South Road, right at Beach Road then right into Victoria Avenue.

CRANBOURNE ASSEMBLY AREA. The Bunning's car park in High Street. Run leaders Barbara & Tony. Assemble from 8 am. Melway map 133 K3. No fees. No ride registration. Just roll up.

Awards for: LONGEST DISTANCE MALE; LONGEST DISTANCE 250CC; LONGEST DISTANCE PILLION; BEST DRESSED BIKE; LONGEST DISTANCE FEMALE; LONGEST DISTANCE SIDECAR; BEST CLUB ATTENDANCE.

Departs with Police escort at 10 am. The rpoute is up the Monash Freeway to Batman Avenue, across the Swan Street Bridge to City Road, left in Ferras Street and right into Bridport Street which becomes Victoria Avenue.
NB This is the 30th Ulysses Club TOY RUN from Cranbourne organised by Barbara & Tony. For more information call Barbara on 03 5998 2424.

COLLINGWOOD ASSEMBLY AREA. Vespa House in Johnston Street. Melway map 2C refernce G8. Assemble from 10 am. Organised by the Vespa Club. All scooterists welcome. Departs 11 am. The route is along Hoddle Street, right onto Olympic Bvd across the Swan Street Bridge and left onto Ferrars Street from City Road then right into Bridport Street which becomes Victoria Avenue.

GIFTS. New toys & clothes do a lot of good. Second hand books and hard toys are great. Tinned food means a person who might go hungry at Christmas gets a feed. Gift vouchers make top gifts. And, of course money is most welcome. Even a single coin makes a difference. Lots of single coins make a big difference. Pre-loved soft toys can be a problem for charities because they have to pay for them to be cleaned and that costs. 

AUSSIE FLAGS. The more the better. RIDE WITH PRIDE!   

FANCY DRESS AND DECORATED BIKES. Do it. Go mad. Looks good on TV and the kids love it.

SAFETY. All road laws apply. Please do not overtake on the ride. If you want to leave the run, indicate left, pull over when it's safe and wait for the column to pass before moving on.
For more details use these links:
 

Sunday 12 October 2014

MAGGSY & DAMO ON THE RADIO

On Tuesday at 7pm  on Ride :

  • Wayne Baffsky reflects on the High Court Decision concerning the NSW Consorting Law and discusses the implications for the Queensland Anti-rights Challenge
  • Mark Marquez celebrates in Moto GP while Aussie Jack Miller can only dream of what nearly happened in Moto 3
  • IRG spokesman Damien Codognotto looks forward to the Victorian State Election and the important motorcycling Issues
  • Dale Maggs talks about the Freedom Ride to Canberra on December 1 and what he hopes it will achieve
  • We look forward to a Temporary Australians filming ride to Kangaroo Valley on November 1 and the Melbourne Expo filming on November 28.
  • Plus a mixture of news and music.
Proudly sponsored by Fraser Motorcycles Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong ,Melbourne and Perth
and Skillmaster Motorcycle Services.
Listen online via www.alive905.com.au

Saturday 11 October 2014

DON'T WASTE YOUR VOTE

I have put a note on facebook asking for candidates in the coming Victorian 
elections on November 29, 2014. 
This time I'll carefully consider all candidates except Liberals.
As a rider concerned with road safety and community service, I can't vote Liberal 
this time. First Premier Baillieu then Premier Napthine broke their promises to 
abolish the discriminatory TAC tax on most bikes in this state. The 2012 Parliamentary 
Inquiry into rider safety recommended this unfair tax be abolished and TAC be audited. 
The VACC issued a media release calling for the TAC tax to be removed. 
The TAC tax is around $70 a year hidden on your bike registration forms. That is 
$70 a year low-income riders like me could spend on better riding gear.


This is a 2004 article but it shows that credible, influential people want motorcycles & scooters extinct. They won't get what they want entirely but they can make it more expensive to own a bike and much harder to keep a licence. And , they will not stop, they just step into the shadows when they come up against people power. Having yes-men saying they represent riders in high places, does more harm than good.




The only reason I can see for keeping this blatant tax rip off is to make motorcycles & scooters more expensive to own.
I'll watch the media and the VEC website for information on candidates. I will make up my mind on election day and try to get the best represetatives of the Victoria's people into state parliament. From the performance of the current state government regarding motorcyclists I know I can't vote Liberal in good conscience. 

There should be a lot of choice in this state election. There are new electoral boundaries. And, it looks like there will be lots of minor parties and independentent candidates to choose from. Really think about it. Do not waste your vote. This summer will be important for the future of motorcycling in Australia.
Please share/email this information.
Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders Group

Melbourne

Wednesday 8 October 2014

HUMAN RIGHTS SURVEY

Worth filling in I reckon!

Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2014 13:37:27 +1000
Subject: Rights & Responsibilities 2014 - Online Survey Ends 31October

Welcome to the online survey for Rights & Responsibilities 2014.

Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner, Tim Wilson, is conducting a
national consultation about how effectively we protect people’s human
rights and freedoms in Australia. The consultation will focus on
building understanding and improved protection of our fundamental human
rights, freedoms and responsibilities.

Past consultations, such as the National Human Rights Consultation under
the previous federal Government, have tended to focus mainly on what
government should do to protect human rights. This consultation aims to
go beyond this objective and identify where there are restrictions on
rights and freedoms that are disproportionate to the harm to be
prevented. Importantly, the consultation seeks to identify where people
are advancing their rights and freedoms through community-based and
voluntary programs.

Discussions will focus on some of the key rights and freedoms that have
traditionally underpinned our liberal democracy in Australia. These include:

1. The right to freedom of opinion and expression.
2. The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.

3. The right to freedom of association.

4. Property rights.

This survey includes questions about each of these rights, but there is
no need to answer all of them. You can choose to skip particular
sections and comment only on particular rights that you feel are relevant.

For further information about these rights and/or the national
consultation, please see the Discussion Paper.
The survey should take between 15-30 minutes to complete. Please ensure
you complete it by Friday 31 October 2014.

Please note that when making a submission, you are indicating that you
have read and understood the Commission’s Submission Policy which can be
found at https://www.humanrights.gov.au/submission-policy.

Once again, thank you for your time and feedback.

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/rights-responsibilities-2014-online-survey

Cheers & Respect
Prickle

KEEP YOUR WORD PREMIER (VIC)

Dale Maggs is a very active Independent Riders Group member. He has never accepted that the Victorian Premier can't still keep his promise to abolish the TAC tax on motorcycles & scooters.

There is a Victorian elecetion on November 29, 2014. Write to your MP in support of your fellow rider, Dale Maggs.

Damien
IRG
2002


TitleRoad safety: motorcycle levy
HouseASSEMBLY
ActivityQuestions without Notice
MembersNAPTHINE; SPEAKER
Date14 May 2002
Page1381

14 May 2002 ASSEMBLY

Road safetymotorcycle levy

Dr NAPTHINE -- My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier adopt Liberal Party policy and drop Labor's new unfair $50 tax on Victorian motorbike riders?
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER -- Order! I remind the house that it is disorderly to applaud in that way, and that includes people in the galleries.
Mr BRACKS (Premier) -- I am pleased that the Liberal Party, as enunciated by the Leader of the Opposition, has indicated that it has a new policy. His new policy is to take off the $50 levy, which will go towards the safety of motorcyclists in Victoria. He would take that off!
The Leader of the Opposition will soon have his first chance on this matter. He went outside and made a claim that if the Liberals got into power they would take it off. He will get his chance, because if he opposes the budget he can take it off! But he will support it; he will vote for it. I can guarantee the Leader of the Opposition will support this measure.
Honourable members interjecting.
The SPEAKER -- Order! Earlier I warned the government benches. Now I say the same to the opposition benches: that level of interjection is not acceptable.
Mr BRACKS -- I can expect that, given this newly enunciated policy, the opposition will move an amendment to the budget and have it debated, because that will be their first chance to stand up on this matter. Let me go to the facts. The $50 levy will go straight into motorcycle safety, into training and public education, including campaigns on motorcycle safety directed at both motorcyclists and at motorists. If you look at the figures, you can see that they are overwhelming. Regrettably motorcyclists are already 30 times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on our roads than car drivers.
Mr Maclellan -- On a point of order, Mr Speaker, the Premier is reading his answer. I ask that you direct him not to read it or to make the paper available.
Mr BRACKS -- On the point of order, Mr Speaker, I am happy to respond to the honourable member for Pakenham. I was reading from copious handwritten

Page 1382

notes and details, but I was not quoting from a document.
The SPEAKER -- Order! On the point of order raised by the honourable member for Pakenham, the tradition in this house is that members do not read their speeches. I ask the Premier to adhere to the tradition of the house.
Mr BRACKS -- Regrettably 27 motorcyclists have been killed already this year, and that represents some 20 per cent of the total Victorian road toll. The government is resolute about doing something about motorcycle safety. There used to be a time in this Parliament when there was bipartisan support for an attack on the road toll. There used to be a time -- --
Mr Leigh interjected.
Mr BRACKS -- Whether it has been the Wipe Off 5 campaign, speed tolerance or this new measure, we have seen a desperate attempt from the opposition to wreck that bipartisanship.
Mr McArthur -- My point of order, Mr Speaker, relates to the simple matter of debating. Will the Premier abolish this iniquitous tax or is he going to keep it going?
The SPEAKER -- Order! I do not uphold the point of order that the Premier was debating the question. He was providing information to the house.
Mr BRACKS -- This $50 levy will go into motorcycle safety and training, including an awareness campaign for motorists. It is a very important campaign to save lives and to reduce accidents, and the government is absolutely committed to it -- even if the opposition is not.

2006

TitleMotorcycles: registration tax
HouseASSEMBLY
ActivityPetitions
MembersNAPTHINE
Date5 April 2006
Page884

5 April 2006 ASSEMBLY

Motorcycles: registration tax

To the Legislative Assembly of Victoria:
This petition of the residents of Victoria draws the attention of the house to the $50 tax, levied through the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), on scooter and motorbike registrations in this state. This tax was introduced without proper consultation with stakeholders. This tax singles out and penalises a small but legitimate part of our community based on choice of personal transport. The majority of insurance claims show the car driver was at fault; 38 per cent of hospitalisations from bike crashes are car licence holders riding off-road. Driver awareness programs, which benefit pedestrians and bicyclists too, did not feature. The 'unrider' problem was not addressed. The tax promotes unriding.
More than $10 million has been taken from the motorcycle community, but it has not been spent on effective bike safety initiatives or facilities. The tax is unfair, particularly for riders with more than one machine. The tax makes motorbikes and scooters more expensive, so harder to own. This is bad for the industry and the economy. The tax discourages energy and space efficient environmentally friendly vehicles, which is bad for all Victorians. The tax was to be reviewed in October 2005.
We request that the unfair $50 TAC tax be abolished.
By Dr NAPTHINE (South-West Coast) (6707 signatures)
Tabled.


TitleMotorcycles: registration tax
HouseASSEMBLY
ActivityMembers Statements
MembersNAPTHINE
Date5 April 2006
Page885

5 April 2006 ASSEMBLY

Motorcycles: registration tax

Dr NAPTHINE (South-West Coast) -- I wish to draw the attention of members of the house, including the government, to the massive petition tabled today which has 6707 signatories and which expresses opposition to the unfair and discriminatory $53.90 motorcycle tax imposed by the Bracks Labor government. In addition to these 6700-plus signatories, another 1854 people signed this petition, but due to a technical ruling these could not be tabled. A total of 8500 people have signed this petition.
I would like to congratulate Damian Codognotto and Lindsay Swift and everyone involved in collecting signatories for this petition. The message from the petitioners and the 600-plus riders who joined the protest ride against this tax on 18 March is that the Bracks Labor government needs to immediately lift this unfair and discriminatory tax on motorcycle riders.

2014

Dr Denis Napthine MP
Premier
Victoria

Dear Premier Napthine.

You made promises to us. You have not honored them!

Please look at the pictures of you and my colleagues in 2006. You tabled our petition in the Victorian State Parliament yet you haven't responded to our formal request to meet with you about the TAC tax.
 
This was all done via your diary manager, Julie Reed. She has responded to us but now we find we have been refused any meetings.

You made a commitment to us & the Victorian  Parliament, the media and the motorcycle & scooter community to repeal the Motorcycle Safety Levy (TAC TAX). Yet it still exists.

We protest strongly about your lack of action and need answers in the lead up to the state election!

Dale Robert Maggs
Mob 0432 776 458
@convictstock
Independent Riders Group

























Dale Maggs (L), Dr Denis Napthine MP and Damien Codognotto OAM showing the petition to abolish the TAC tax to the media on the steps of Parliament House in Melbourne. 2006.

































X Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu MP chasing votes in the Wangaratta Chronicle.