Public called in to help Uber in its fight against regulators

A new campaign has kicked off inviting the public to share its views on whether popular ride-sharing service Uber should be forced to adhere to the same state and federal regulations as taxi services.

The online campaign unleashed on change.org describes Uber as the "controversial ride-sharing app that's generating media headlines – with governments deciding whether to crack down on the service".

It then allows the public to cast a vote that either agrees that the company is "illegal", "undermines the taxi industry", is "unsafe" and is avoiding its tax obligations, and therefore needs to be reined in by governments.

Or on the other hand to "support Australia's right to choose Uber "because it's cheaper, provides competition for taxis and is reliable".

Change.org online petitions can be started by ordinary members of the public. Cairns taxis driver trainer Chris Balsom is listed as the person behind the stop Uber campaign.

Uber was contacted for comment but could not confirm before deadline whether it had anything to do with the support Uber campaign by Karl Melrose.

The move comes as Canberra on Tuesday became the first Australian jurisdiction to regulate ride-sharing so that companies like Uber can operate legally by facing the same safety and insurance regulations as existing taxi services.

San Francisco-based Uber has long argued that it is a technology company and shouldn't have to face the same rules and regulations as the taxi industry.

But the taxi industry is furious and says that Uber is a taxi service and therefore needs to abide by the same safety, vehicle and insurance regulations as everyone else.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said he is "concerned" to make sure that the government "properly regulate[s] the pre-booked only trade".

His comments came as a new report prepared for the government on Victoria's taxi industry found that Uber is potentially avoiding paying millions of dollars in government taxes.

But the company is also facing a battle in NSW where Roads and Maritime Services NSW has issued 40 suspension notices to UberX drivers.

Uber, which in July was valued at about US$51 billion, has for years been lobbying state and federal regulators worldwide in a bid to circumvent any regulations that would stop its international expansion.

The company had hired US President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign manager David Plouffe as its senior vice-president of policy and strategy (Plouffe now advises Uber chief executive Travis Kalanick), and in Australia has been aggressively lobbying federal leaders to reverse the recent Australian Taxation Office decision to make UberX drivers register for GST.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has praised ride-sharing company Uber as part of the "agile" economy he envisages for Australia.

Uber is using its outlawed status to challenge the ATO's decision in the Federal Court. Uber has said the ATO guidance is "a flawed interpretation" of GST law and the ATO was acting beyond its duties as a tax administrator.

But the Tax Commissioner Chris Jordan earlier this year hit back at Uber for suggesting the ATO lacked integrity and has accused the company of playing dirty to try and influence the media.