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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 4 Hansard (18 April) . . Page.. 1109 ..

MR DE (continuing):

One of the more important initiatives provided for in these proposals involves operator accreditation and driver authorisation. These measures, to be developed in conjunction with the industry, will provide a far more effective and efficient means of removing unsavoury or incompetent operators and drivers from the industry. This will not only improve services but also greatly enhance public safety. Every operator and owner of a public transport enterprise will have to be accredited. To obtain accreditation, operators will need to demonstrate that they are financially solvent, are of good repute, and in all other respects are fit and proper to operate public passenger services. They will also need to commit themselves to establishing a suitable vehicle maintenance and safety program. Similarly, drivers of public passenger vehicles will need to show that they are sufficiently competent, and are appropriate people to provide the public passenger service. For example, taxi drivers will need to have a required level of locality knowledge, English language skills and other attributes, such as their ability to provide a suitable standard of customer care before they can be authorised.

The provisions relating to taxis and hire cars remain basically unchanged, with one important exception. Short-term hire car licences will be introduced to allow for new hire car plates to be leased as opposed to being sold at public auction. Lease fees will be struck at a level to protect the investment of existing hire car plate holders. The short-term licences will be paid for by means of an annual licence fee, and will last for several years to provide a licensee with sufficient confidence to invest in a suitable vehicle. The Government has also agreed to the release of five additional taxi plates each year for the next two years. In regard to hire cars, Mr Speaker, the Government proposes to restrict the types of vehicle able to be used as a hire car. However, there will be no restriction on numbers. The market will establish the number of plates on issue at any one time. These moves, which parallel the position of our Labor colleagues in New South Wales, will ensure that taxis and hire cars service different segments of the market.

Finally, the Government will substantially increase penalties for the illegal operation of public passenger services. New South Wales has a maximum penalty of $10,000 for breaching licence conditions or for operating illegally. The ACT Government will create a separate offence of continuing to operate a public passenger vehicle after suspension or cancellation of authorisation or accreditation.

Mr Speaker, the initiatives I have outlined will bring about the most important changes to the taxi and hire car sector of the ACT passenger transport industry since self-government. I must thank our colleagues in New South Wales because we spoke at length with the New South Wales Labor Government. I assure you, Mr Speaker, that we will make sure that the cross-border difficulties that we have experienced in the past will not appear in the future. I present the following paper:

Taxis and Hire Cars - Directions - ministerial statement, 18 April 1996.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

Debate (on motion by Mr Whitecross) adjourned.

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