Page 2333 - Week 07 - Thursday, 17 August 2006
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saw Mr Bramston at a Liberal Party function last night and stop putting about the myth that he is seeking out these people to talk to them when that is clearly not the case.
MR PRATT: Thank you, minister, for yet another civilised answer. Why did you tell us there was nothing that you could do when in fact you have a number of options?
MR HARGREAVES: I sincerely thank Mr Pratt for this particular question because I can clear up the record. These folks here obviously misunderstand things. Let us understand a number of issues, though, before I kick this off and give you the substantive answer.
The booking system was introduced in April. It was in parallel with the pre-existing system where you got a human being on the other end of the phone. It went live on 19 July. Today’s date is 17 August. It is not one month. Natural justice would have us judge these people on the sustainability of any improvement after a period of at least three months. It is as simple as that.
The satisfaction survey, which is an annual one, which applies to Canberra Cabs’ performance, which is only one of the measures employed and is the one which I am hoping to be able to release in a couple of days, when I have given the cab company an opportunity to read it—that is why it has been delayed—applies to the system prior to the introduction of the new system. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for me to judge their performance on something which pre-existed the new system.
The other thing is this: when I said that I do not have the powers to do things, I was quite correct. At law, the Road Transport Authority has the power to do this. The minister is precluded from doing something specifically. I cannot direct the Road Traffic Authority to do this.
Mr Pratt: Rubbish!
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Pratt sits there and says, “Rubbish!” He is a practitioner of it, so he ought to know what it looks like. He is a practitioner of it, so he would know what it is. I have made it crystal clear to the people of Canberra that their representatives do not accept this as viable. Mr Pratt earlier today asked why I don’t introduce regulations to get the drivers to do something. This character over there is trying to blame the drivers when, in fact, there are two reasons why people are not getting a satisfactory service in this town.
Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: under standing order 118 (b) the minister cannot debate the subject; he must answer the question.
MR HARGREAVES: Filibustering; here we go!
Mr Smyth: You would know about filibustering, sport.
MR HARGREAVES: Yes; I learnt it from you. There were two reasons why people were not receiving a satisfactory service in this town. The first one is that the booking system is not efficacious at this point. We are hoping—everybody is hoping—it will be. We will find out whether it is in November, when we do a bit of a judgment on it. The
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