❓ The Minister for Transport updates the house on reforms to the taxi and on-demand transport industry, focusing on increased safety and accountability through new driver authorisations and security checks. She criticises the opposition for allegedly viewing these measures as unnecessary red tape.
AnsweredQoN 98Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAXIS AND ON-DEMAND
TRANSPORT — REFORMS
98. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's
reforms to the taxi and on-demand transport industry.
(1) Can the minister update the house on how these
reforms are delivering a safer and more accountable on- demand transport
industry for passengers?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of anyone who does not share
this government's commitment to setting a high standard of safety for
operators?
TRANSPORT — REFORMS
98. Dr A.D. BUTI to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's
reforms to the taxi and on-demand transport industry.
(1) Can the minister update the house on how these
reforms are delivering a safer and more accountable on- demand transport
industry for passengers?
(2) Can the
minister advise the house whether she is aware of anyone who does not share
this government's commitment to setting a high standard of safety for
operators?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question
and, of course, the member for Armadale's work on the significant taxi
reform in this state, which has always had a lot of challenges that we have
been meeting along the way.
(1)–(2) As
members know, the reform of the taxi industry has been through three stages.
More recently we outlined the last stage in relation to the metropolitan
changes—that is, the transition to new passenger transport driver
authorisations. This will complete the most comprehensive reform in the state's
history. From July 2020, a new authorisation will replace the current F and T
driver's licences. Drivers will have 12 months to do that changeover.
As part of that we have increased the accountability and also some of the
security standards and checks as part of the whole process.
Mr R.S. Love : And the fees.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : The member will be
happy to know that if a driver changes their authorisation within four months ,
they will not pay their first fee. That is to encourage more people to do that —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, this is not a chat session; it is question time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : —
plus all the other fees that have been waived —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, I call you to order for the third time. You do not rule this chamber.
The minister is on her feet.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is okay
because the National Party will be subsidising airfares by $1.2 billion over
the next four years.
The national police clearance will
be submitted every four years. There are those who will be permanently
disqualified from driving. For example, for serious traffic offences, sexual
offences and all those types of offences, there will be permanent
disqualification. Of course, there will be other disqualifications for periods
of time as well, according to a whole range of offences.
As I said, this is the third part of
the reforms. We saw the changeover of vehicles. We saw the new booking services
being authorised—a significant reform and something that has been
handled incredibly well in relation to the amount of work that has been
undertaken by parts of my agency. For example, in July 2019, 16 000 plates and
licences were transitioned overnight to the different authorisation. However,
it has not been without its challenges, and we continue to work on many
challenges around the place.
As I said, it has been the most
significant reform in the state's history. We are increasing the level
of security and safety in particular so that people understand that their
drivers have passed particular checks. But I was surprised to see that someone
was not supporting these types of new safety checks. The shadow spokesperson
for transport, members, believes that this is red tape—that improving
the safety of people in the community when they catch on-demand transport is
increasing red tape, members. I do not know why they would think that. I do not
know —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Well, member for Vasse, I call you to
order for the first time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Have
you finished, minister?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No.
The SPEAKER : Sorry.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The
dial-a-cliche on a Sunday was that this is red tape. We are proud of our reforms.
We are proud of the fact that we are improving safety for all the customers of
our on-demand transport system—one that has grown exponentially over
recent years. We actually believe safety is important.
and, of course, the member for Armadale's work on the significant taxi
reform in this state, which has always had a lot of challenges that we have
been meeting along the way.
(1)–(2) As
members know, the reform of the taxi industry has been through three stages.
More recently we outlined the last stage in relation to the metropolitan
changes—that is, the transition to new passenger transport driver
authorisations. This will complete the most comprehensive reform in the state's
history. From July 2020, a new authorisation will replace the current F and T
driver's licences. Drivers will have 12 months to do that changeover.
As part of that we have increased the accountability and also some of the
security standards and checks as part of the whole process.
Mr R.S. Love : And the fees.
Ms
R. SAFFIOTI : The member will be
happy to know that if a driver changes their authorisation within four months ,
they will not pay their first fee. That is to encourage more people to do that —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, this is not a chat session; it is question time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : —
plus all the other fees that have been waived —
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr R.S. Love interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Moore, I call you to order for the third time. You do not rule this chamber.
The minister is on her feet.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : It is okay
because the National Party will be subsidising airfares by $1.2 billion over
the next four years.
The national police clearance will
be submitted every four years. There are those who will be permanently
disqualified from driving. For example, for serious traffic offences, sexual
offences and all those types of offences, there will be permanent
disqualification. Of course, there will be other disqualifications for periods
of time as well, according to a whole range of offences.
As I said, this is the third part of
the reforms. We saw the changeover of vehicles. We saw the new booking services
being authorised—a significant reform and something that has been
handled incredibly well in relation to the amount of work that has been
undertaken by parts of my agency. For example, in July 2019, 16 000 plates and
licences were transitioned overnight to the different authorisation. However,
it has not been without its challenges, and we continue to work on many
challenges around the place.
As I said, it has been the most
significant reform in the state's history. We are increasing the level
of security and safety in particular so that people understand that their
drivers have passed particular checks. But I was surprised to see that someone
was not supporting these types of new safety checks. The shadow spokesperson
for transport, members, believes that this is red tape—that improving
the safety of people in the community when they catch on-demand transport is
increasing red tape, members. I do not know why they would think that. I do not
know —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Well, member for Vasse, I call you to
order for the first time.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Have
you finished, minister?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No.
The SPEAKER : Sorry.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The
dial-a-cliche on a Sunday was that this is red tape. We are proud of our reforms.
We are proud of the fact that we are improving safety for all the customers of
our on-demand transport system—one that has grown exponentially over
recent years. We actually believe safety is important.
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