Community Alliance Party

As part of ongoing consultation with the taxi industry, Community Alliance candidates Jane Tullis, James Sizer and Nancy-Louise Scherger attended a rally organised by the Canberra Taxi Industry Association this morning in Commonwealth Park.

"The current situation is bad for all stakeholders, with passengers finding it hard to get taxis when they need them, while many drivers are trying to support themselves and their families on a poverty wage of just $9 an hour. The solution to this problem lies somewhere between the dictatorial regulation we have, and the dangerous free-for-all of deregulation. Of course, this solution can best be found through the co-operation of all parties," Mr Sizer said today.

Mr Sizer: "The fact that the responsible minister was absent from this gathering is a telling sign of ACT Labor's useless attitude in dealing with the taxi industry. One of the most important things a minister can do is to maintain relationships with stakeholders. The fact that Mr Hargreaves does not talk to representatives from the industry is nothing less than arrogant incompetence.”

The Community Alliance supports the requests made by the Canberra Taxi Industry Association:

• to establish a consultative body representing all stakeholders to advise the Minister responsible on all matters pertaining to the taxi industry
• to suspend the release of any further taxi licences until the appropriate number and method of release have been determined by the consultative body
• to ensure that future taxi licences are sold by the government either through a tender system or by auction; and to ensure that current lessees of government taxi licences are presented with a plan through which they may gain equity in their licences.

"The answer is not to grant more licences. Fifteen of those granted in May this year have already been handed back because the drivers couldn't make ends meet. Extra licences just erode the viability of our taxi industry,” said Mr Sizer.

If elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly, Community Alliance MLA's will help to resolve this issue as a matter of high priority.

Media Contacts James Sizer