Documents reveal extent of Uber’s lobbying of Daniel Andrews’ government to legalise its operation

Leak shows how Uber sought to influence key players in Labor government and launched an aggressive' campaign against taxi industry

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Uber saw the victory of Labor's Daniel Andrews in the 2014 Victorian state election as an opportunity to finally get its lucrative Melbourne operations legalised, documents obtained by Guardian Australia reveal.

Uber set up shop in Australia in 2012 without the required permits then launched an aggressive campaign to change state laws to legalise its operations across the country. It is a tactic the company has used repeatedly in markets around the world: launch first, establish a loyal customer base, and then lobby for laws to be changed.