❓ Mrs. Harvey questions the Minister for Transport about the impact of taxi industry reforms on regional communities, citing closures and hardship. The Minister responds by outlining a new assistance package and defending the reforms as necessary for creating a level playing field.
AnsweredQoN 376Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAXIDRIVERS —
ASSISTANCE
376. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the strike action by
taxidrivers in regional towns this weekend, and the article in last week's Albany Advertiser about the closure of taxi and charter services in
Katanning, which follows taxi operators closing down in Denmark, the closure of
Rainbow Taxis in the Premier's electorate, and foreshadowed closures in
Albany, Bunbury, Busselton and Kalgoorlie. Given the reforms have created
significant hardship for taxi operators and drivers in regional areas, what is
the minister doing to ensure that the elderly people in these communities who
rely on taxis will continue to have access to these important services?
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Water, I call you to order for the first time.
ASSISTANCE
376. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the strike action by
taxidrivers in regional towns this weekend, and the article in last week's Albany Advertiser about the closure of taxi and charter services in
Katanning, which follows taxi operators closing down in Denmark, the closure of
Rainbow Taxis in the Premier's electorate, and foreshadowed closures in
Albany, Bunbury, Busselton and Kalgoorlie. Given the reforms have created
significant hardship for taxi operators and drivers in regional areas, what is
the minister doing to ensure that the elderly people in these communities who
rely on taxis will continue to have access to these important services?
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Water, I call you to order for the first time.
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the sudden
interest in this issue. After two years of discussion, consultation and
debating this, I am glad the member has shown a sudden interest in this issue.
What are we doing? We announced last Thursday and Friday a new assistance
package, working with existing operators. Of course, there has been a lot of
interest already for booking services through regional Western Australia—over
300 are authorised, and we will see the commencement of other services also
throughout regional WA. But of course we want to make sure that the existing
operators get assistance. That is why we announced $3.4 million of new
assistance in the budget last Thursday. It is $10 000 per licence, capped at
$100 000. It is a waiver of fees for three to four years. It is also making
sure the Department of Transport is working with local operators. I want to
ensure that all operators will have a chance to continue. It is a changing
environment. We have seen that in industries across the board, and, of course,
in the metropolitan area. It is a changing and challenging environment for
many. We want to work with the operators, and that is what we are aiming to do.
We have had discussions for over two
years with different representatives. The regional operators did not want to be
part of the levy, so we did not have the levy. They wanted assistance for the
regional tax for the cameras, and we gave them that, and they sought further
assistance.
In relation to some operators
closing down, the Denmark Chamber of Commerce Inc has been very proactive and
is working and holding workshops with other service providers. Operators closed
down under the watch of the shadow minister, the member for Scarborough, too.
We have seen this happen across the years. We want to continue to work with the
operators. We want to give the existing operators the ability to transform into
the new environment. Of course what has happened—we saw it with
Mandurah and Bunbury—is that without reform, without a change, other
companies will come in, just as Uber did in the metropolitan area, and in
Mandurah and in Bunbury, and just as Uber was invited by the member for
Dawesville into the Peel region —
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Without
reform, and without providing the ability for the existing operators to compete,
they would lose market share, because others would just come in and deregulate
themselves. So we had to create a new level playing field. We are working with
the regional industry. There are very different views across industry. I know
that some really welcome the assistance package, but others want more. We are
continuing to try to get that balance right.
interest in this issue. After two years of discussion, consultation and
debating this, I am glad the member has shown a sudden interest in this issue.
What are we doing? We announced last Thursday and Friday a new assistance
package, working with existing operators. Of course, there has been a lot of
interest already for booking services through regional Western Australia—over
300 are authorised, and we will see the commencement of other services also
throughout regional WA. But of course we want to make sure that the existing
operators get assistance. That is why we announced $3.4 million of new
assistance in the budget last Thursday. It is $10 000 per licence, capped at
$100 000. It is a waiver of fees for three to four years. It is also making
sure the Department of Transport is working with local operators. I want to
ensure that all operators will have a chance to continue. It is a changing
environment. We have seen that in industries across the board, and, of course,
in the metropolitan area. It is a changing and challenging environment for
many. We want to work with the operators, and that is what we are aiming to do.
We have had discussions for over two
years with different representatives. The regional operators did not want to be
part of the levy, so we did not have the levy. They wanted assistance for the
regional tax for the cameras, and we gave them that, and they sought further
assistance.
In relation to some operators
closing down, the Denmark Chamber of Commerce Inc has been very proactive and
is working and holding workshops with other service providers. Operators closed
down under the watch of the shadow minister, the member for Scarborough, too.
We have seen this happen across the years. We want to continue to work with the
operators. We want to give the existing operators the ability to transform into
the new environment. Of course what has happened—we saw it with
Mandurah and Bunbury—is that without reform, without a change, other
companies will come in, just as Uber did in the metropolitan area, and in
Mandurah and in Bunbury, and just as Uber was invited by the member for
Dawesville into the Peel region —
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Without
reform, and without providing the ability for the existing operators to compete,
they would lose market share, because others would just come in and deregulate
themselves. So we had to create a new level playing field. We are working with
the regional industry. There are very different views across industry. I know
that some really welcome the assistance package, but others want more. We are
continuing to try to get that balance right.
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