Page 183 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2008
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Feedback from the taxi drivers was that, whereas it used to be very sought after to have a Friday or a Saturday night shift because it paid the most, now that was no longer the case and that there were a lot of taxi drivers who avoided those shifts because of fears over violence. You have got to take that seriously. You cannot dismiss the fact that taxi drivers are feeling less safe than they were and are choosing not to take the higher paying shifts because of that concern.
It is fair to say that we took into account all of those views. Some were saying that things were getting worse; some were saying that things were better than they have been in the last few years; and others were somewhere in the middle.
What we did agree on, though, is that there are issues of concern. No-one denied that some of the issues around violence are real and that it is unacceptable to us as a community to have these kinds of incidents that we have seen publicised in recent times. And to round that out, I think those who did not see it as a massive problem did feel that there was a bit of a media beat-up in some of it. And that was their view, expressed as part of the roundtable.
I think that brings together a bit of the diversity of views that were put there, but what we did seek to do and what we had in relation to the discussion at the roundtable was try to find some areas of common ground and try to find some sensible solutions for moving forward. We were aware, obviously, of what the government has proposed. Broadly, that was endorsed, although that was not a major focus of the discussion because we know that government has its processes in train in relation to the review of the Liquor Act and looking at issues around Nightlink. Those things were broadly endorsed, I think it is fair to say, but we did not focus on them; we focused on what else could be done in a holistic way to deal with some of these issues.
A number of things came together where there was a level of consensus. There were probably five main things. One related to further transport options over and above the Nightlink service, and that related to potentially expanding the Nightrider service. That is something that the opposition is looking very closely at. Also there were discussions generally about the environment, better lighting and the like, to make it safer on our streets. The perception of it being safer as well was seen as important.
On-the-spot fines were endorsed really by every person at the meeting, I think it is fair to say, in particular what the opposition has put forward in relation to on-the-spot fines to give the police the better tools that they need to deal with some of these troublemakers. And that was very strongly endorsed, in fact. I think that was seen as a very important part of what is on offer.
A more formalised, coordinated approach between pubs and clubs and between pubs and clubs and the police was another matter. And that is about better communication, formalised communication, where there are identified troublemakers, a bunch of young men, perhaps, causing trouble at a particular licensed venue and where they are ejected from that. The police and other pub and club owners are informed of that and are able to be aware so that we do not see them going into other pubs and clubs and causing trouble and so that we also do not see them walking the streets and causing dramas outside the pubs and clubs as well. They were some of the key bits. I think
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