❓ Mr. Birney questions the disparity in wheelchair hoist subsidies and lifting fees between Perth metropolitan and regional taxi operators, particularly in Kalgoorlie. The Minister explains the funding source for the metropolitan subsidy and indicates consideration for extending similar support to regional areas.
AnsweredQoN 2479Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(a) can the Minister advise why the Government is not offering a capital grant of $15,000 dollars for the installation of wheelchair hoists to Kalgoorlie and other regional country taxi operators;
(b) if no to (a) why not;
(c) will the Minister change Government policy to ensure that all taxi operators in the country areas, including Kalgoorlie, are not disadvantaged by implementing a policy which reflects that all regional country operators are entitled to a capital grant of up to $15,000 the same as the Perth metropolitan operators;
(d) if no to (c) why not;
(e) can the Minister advise what is the rationale and justification behind offering a grant of $15,000 dollars for wheelchair hoist installation to Perth metropolitan multi-purpose taxi operators;
(f) if no to (e) why not;
(g) can the Minister explain what is the rationale behind providing a $5 lifting fee to help operate a multi-purpose taxi within the Perth metropolitan area;
(h) if no to (g) why not;
(i) can the Minister explain how long, in months, has the scheme been operating which provides a $5 lifting fee to help with operating a multi-purpose taxi within the Perth metropolitan area;
(j) if no to (i) why not;
(k) can the Minister state how much total revenue in dollars has the Government subsidised Perth metropolitan taxis by providing the $5 dollar lifting fee since it was implemented;
(l) if no to (k) why not;
(m) will the Minister change Government policy to ensure that all taxi operators in country regional areas, including Kalgoorlie, have the $5 - $10 lifting fee subsidy so that regional country residents who require wheelchair lifts are not disadvantaged; and
(n) if no to (m) why not?
(b) if no to (a) why not;
(c) will the Minister change Government policy to ensure that all taxi operators in the country areas, including Kalgoorlie, are not disadvantaged by implementing a policy which reflects that all regional country operators are entitled to a capital grant of up to $15,000 the same as the Perth metropolitan operators;
(d) if no to (c) why not;
(e) can the Minister advise what is the rationale and justification behind offering a grant of $15,000 dollars for wheelchair hoist installation to Perth metropolitan multi-purpose taxi operators;
(f) if no to (e) why not;
(g) can the Minister explain what is the rationale behind providing a $5 lifting fee to help operate a multi-purpose taxi within the Perth metropolitan area;
(h) if no to (g) why not;
(i) can the Minister explain how long, in months, has the scheme been operating which provides a $5 lifting fee to help with operating a multi-purpose taxi within the Perth metropolitan area;
(j) if no to (i) why not;
(k) can the Minister state how much total revenue in dollars has the Government subsidised Perth metropolitan taxis by providing the $5 dollar lifting fee since it was implemented;
(l) if no to (k) why not;
(m) will the Minister change Government policy to ensure that all taxi operators in country regional areas, including Kalgoorlie, have the $5 - $10 lifting fee subsidy so that regional country residents who require wheelchair lifts are not disadvantaged; and
(n) if no to (m) why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 August 2007
Responded by
Minister for Planning and Infrastructure
Response time
54 days
The administration of country taxis is the responsibility of the Minister assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure.
(a) - (b) It is not possible to extend the metropolitan subsidy to the country because money for the Multi-Purpose Taxi (MPT) subsidy comes from the metropolitan taxi industry itself and is administered from the legislated Taxi Industry Development Account. This account takes contributions from the metropolitan taxi operators and can only be expended on metropolitan initiatives; in this case the MPT subsidy.
(c) - (d) The Government is supportive of introducing a similar subsidy in regional areas, including Kalgoorlie. However, this will require legislation that is being considered by the Government.
(e) - (f) The capital cost of a new MPT vehicle is considerably more than a conventional taxi and this is exacerbated by the additional cost of around $17,000 to $18,000 to modify the vehicle to take a wheelchair hoist. The $15,000 grant offsets the modification costs. Attracting new MPT operators to the metropolitan industry is integral to improving the level of service delivered to the community.
(g) - (h) By reducing costs for MPTs the lifting fee is one of the incentives to attract new entrants and encourage operators and drivers to provide better service for people in wheelchairs.
(i) - (j) The $5 subsidy was in operation from December 2005 to end March 2007 when the new $7 and $10 levels were introduced - a period of 16 months.
(k) - (l) From its introduction until end March 2007 the expenditure on the subsidy was $785,105 inclusive of administration fees.
(m) - (n) The matter will be considered by Government.
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(a) - (b) It is not possible to extend the metropolitan subsidy to the country because money for the Multi-Purpose Taxi (MPT) subsidy comes from the metropolitan taxi industry itself and is administered from the legislated Taxi Industry Development Account. This account takes contributions from the metropolitan taxi operators and can only be expended on metropolitan initiatives; in this case the MPT subsidy.
(c) - (d) The Government is supportive of introducing a similar subsidy in regional areas, including Kalgoorlie. However, this will require legislation that is being considered by the Government.
(e) - (f) The capital cost of a new MPT vehicle is considerably more than a conventional taxi and this is exacerbated by the additional cost of around $17,000 to $18,000 to modify the vehicle to take a wheelchair hoist. The $15,000 grant offsets the modification costs. Attracting new MPT operators to the metropolitan industry is integral to improving the level of service delivered to the community.
(g) - (h) By reducing costs for MPTs the lifting fee is one of the incentives to attract new entrants and encourage operators and drivers to provide better service for people in wheelchairs.
(i) - (j) The $5 subsidy was in operation from December 2005 to end March 2007 when the new $7 and $10 levels were introduced - a period of 16 months.
(k) - (l) From its introduction until end March 2007 the expenditure on the subsidy was $785,105 inclusive of administration fees.
(m) - (n) The matter will be considered by Government.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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