❓ Question regarding the WA government's on-demand transport reforms and the Morrison government's response. The Minister details the buyback scheme, regulatory changes, and federal funding received.
AnsweredQoN 205Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAXIS — ON-DEMAND
TAXIS
205. Ms A. SANDERSON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's
reforms to the on-demand transport industry that were supported, and voted for,
by the WA Liberal opposition. Can the
minister update the house on these reforms and advise how the Morrison
government has responded to these reforms?
TAXIS
205. Ms A. SANDERSON to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the government's
reforms to the on-demand transport industry that were supported, and voted for,
by the WA Liberal opposition. Can the
minister update the house on these reforms and advise how the Morrison
government has responded to these reforms?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for that
question. Of course, the member for Morley represents a seat that has a number
of taxi plate owners who will receive some significant funds as part of our
buyback package. I know that she represented those people consistently, unlike
those on the other side, who are all over the place. In government they did
nothing and in opposition they said they wanted more. That is what the
opposition did.
Let us go through it. There are over
300 applicants already for the buyback and over 1 000 booking services are
registering to run booking services. There will be more competition and a level
playing field that can come about only because we are basically changing the
entire market to allow for competition. Of course, the member in her initial
question talked about the cost of the levy. Can I just explain that the levy
was not an economic stimulus package; it was a financial stream of revenue for
the buyback. We never hid that because we wanted to make sure we could
basically move on, and that met the buyback. We could either borrow money, or
we could have an industry-funded buyback, and that is what we chose to do. But,
of course, the regulatory changes will have significant benefits across the
economy. That is why the federal Treasurer on 20 March this year wrote to our
Treasurer, welcoming the reforms across the state.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Really?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Treasurer's
package —
Mr M.P. Murray : Aren't
they on your side?
The SPEAKER : Minister, you
are not on my side. I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He crossed
out ''Treasurer'' and wrote ''Ben''. I thought it
was a nice touch. No wonder we are getting so much road funding, Treasurer. He
crossed out ''Treasurer'' and wrote ''Ben'' and
said —
Thank
you for your letter of 22 November 2018 presenting some additional reforms to Western
Australia's schedule of reforms under the Small Business
Regulatory Reform Agenda.
Your package proposes ambitious
regulatory reforms that will reduce red tape and help small businesses in Western
Australia —
Said Josh Frydenberg —
I am pleased to agree to pay Western Australia
a total of $31.6 million upon implementation of these reforms, providing $11.1
million to deliver additional reforms to enable online flora and fauna licence
applications —
Just to point out that was $300 000
of the $11.1 million —
and reduce regulatory burden for the
on-demand —
Taxi industry. That is $10.8 million
from the federal Treasurer to reduce red tape and improve competition and
support for small business in WA.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo!
question. Of course, the member for Morley represents a seat that has a number
of taxi plate owners who will receive some significant funds as part of our
buyback package. I know that she represented those people consistently, unlike
those on the other side, who are all over the place. In government they did
nothing and in opposition they said they wanted more. That is what the
opposition did.
Let us go through it. There are over
300 applicants already for the buyback and over 1 000 booking services are
registering to run booking services. There will be more competition and a level
playing field that can come about only because we are basically changing the
entire market to allow for competition. Of course, the member in her initial
question talked about the cost of the levy. Can I just explain that the levy
was not an economic stimulus package; it was a financial stream of revenue for
the buyback. We never hid that because we wanted to make sure we could
basically move on, and that met the buyback. We could either borrow money, or
we could have an industry-funded buyback, and that is what we chose to do. But,
of course, the regulatory changes will have significant benefits across the
economy. That is why the federal Treasurer on 20 March this year wrote to our
Treasurer, welcoming the reforms across the state.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Really?
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : The Treasurer's
package —
Mr M.P. Murray : Aren't
they on your side?
The SPEAKER : Minister, you
are not on my side. I call you to order for the first time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : He crossed
out ''Treasurer'' and wrote ''Ben''. I thought it
was a nice touch. No wonder we are getting so much road funding, Treasurer. He
crossed out ''Treasurer'' and wrote ''Ben'' and
said —
Thank
you for your letter of 22 November 2018 presenting some additional reforms to Western
Australia's schedule of reforms under the Small Business
Regulatory Reform Agenda.
Your package proposes ambitious
regulatory reforms that will reduce red tape and help small businesses in Western
Australia —
Said Josh Frydenberg —
I am pleased to agree to pay Western Australia
a total of $31.6 million upon implementation of these reforms, providing $11.1
million to deliver additional reforms to enable online flora and fauna licence
applications —
Just to point out that was $300 000
of the $11.1 million —
and reduce regulatory burden for the
on-demand —
Taxi industry. That is $10.8 million
from the federal Treasurer to reduce red tape and improve competition and
support for small business in WA.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo!
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