Access Taxi Industry

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley) (14:31): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. Is the minister addressing concerns of the access taxi industry and, if so, how? With leave, sir, of yourself and the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: Today outside parliament we saw a demonstration by the access taxi industry, both drivers and users of the service, who raised their concerns about the industry's failure to support South Australians who are living with a disability.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:31): It is true that wait times for people with disabilities for access cabs are too long, and there is nowhere in the country where this is done well. In fact, it is a national shame, in my opinion, that there are people who have disabilities who are being denied access to the things that we all enjoy and things that we take for granted: going shopping, going to the doctor, getting access to friends and family.

I know I have friends who have disabilities and rely on access. When we are out for a celebratory evening for a family event, it is often the wait for access cabs that puts that unfair pressure on people with disabilities and makes them not want to come to these events so they don't feel that they are a burden on those around them. It is something that we need to deal with.

What we are attempting to do here is—I have never said that this would solve the issue, what I am saying is that this is an attempt as a trial to see whether this can actually get us some benefits. What I am concerned about and what I heard today from some access drivers—not all access drivers because the majority of access drivers welcome what we have done today and were actively opposed to the industrial action being taken today, but the one thing that I found contradictory by some of the drivers who were protesting today was that on the one hand they say that there is not enough work for them to sustain themselves, yet on the other hand we are told people are waiting two, three hours for an access cab. So the demand is there, but access drivers are telling us that there is no work. Both can't be right. Both can't be true.

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: Fix it.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! Minister.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What we have seen in the point-to-point industry is one of the largest amounts of disruption ever seen in this industry previously. Uber have done exceptional damage to the taxi industry. I understand—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Florey is warned.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Schubert and the member for Florey will depart under 137A for the remainder of question time—persistent interjections from both. She was earlier warned. It also happens she has concluded her questions, so that is convenient.

The honourable members for Florey and Schubert having withdrawn from the chamber:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: What we are seeing now is that access cab drivers have, in some cases, multiple radios from multiple taxi companies in their vehicles. That is causing a lot of the delays, as well as the nature of some of the trips people with disabilities are wanting to take. Some of them are short: for shopping, or to go nearby to their GP. They might want to visit a loved one. These are small jobs.

The other concerning part, of course, is in the outer suburbs—the outer south, the other north—where it is harder and harder for access cabs to be available. I am also hearing that after hours it is even worse than it is during the day. We are looking at a series of options. The next question my young friend will ask me—I am sure he might change the order now—is about the review that we are conducting into Point to Point.

The Hon. V.A. Tarzia: It is going to be a surprise.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: You don't surprise me very much—

The SPEAKER: Order, member for Hartley!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: —which is a great disappointment. I have such high hopes for you, but you don't get to surprise me. But I am teaching you, I am teaching. What I want to be able to do is have a comprehensive review and, when it is finalised, actually institute some changes that are going to make some meaningful difference, because this cannot continue. I look forward to my young friend's next question.