Page 4073 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 24 October 1990
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I welcome the announcement by Mr Duby that nine taxi plates will be auctioned before the end of this year, and I note that he mentions:
Auctioning these taxi plates with a reserve price will allow the market to determine the current value of the plates.
I recall that, while Minister, I agreed that the reserve should be at least 80 per cent - and I say this again - of the market value to ensure a realistic return to the Government. This was after full consultation with the industry and the union at the time.
As we know, this source of revenue has the potential to be very profitable for the Government, and it is a one-off. We should ensure that the reserve price is set at a level high enough to make sure that it does not devalue the taxi plates already in existence and to allow a proper benchmark to be set for future auctions. I also ask Mr Duby for a commitment that the Taxi Industry Advisory Committee will be fully consulted in all future releases of taxi plates.
A further point I wish to make relates to the section on page 3 of the Bill on the assessment of rights. I note that an application shall:
... be lodged with the Registrar with the determined fee.
I ask the Minister: What is this fee to be, and has he consulted with the industry and union on this point? I note that it is at the top of page 3 of the Bill. I can see Mr Duby is not quite sure of that.
Mr Duby: I did not quite hear you, Mrs Grassby.
MRS GRASSBY: I am sorry. I will read that again. A further point I wish to make relates to the section on page 3 of the Bill. Have you got that?
Mr Duby: Not in front of me, but keep going.
MRS GRASSBY: I note that an application shall:
... be lodged with the Registrar with the determined fee.
I ask the Minister: What is this fee to be, and also, has he consulted with the industry and the union on this point? The ALP believes that it is important that all aspects of our transport system be monitored for efficiency. I compliment the taxi industry and its workers for the very fine job they do for the people of Canberra. I will finish by saying that the ALP fully supports this Bill but would ask that the Minister consult fully with the taxi industry and with the union on all points, particularly on that fee. I would very much like to know what that fee is, and so would the industry.
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