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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-07-16 Daily Xml
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COUNTRY TAXIS SA INCORPORATED

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON (15:07): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Transport a question about Country Taxis SA Incorporated.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.D. LAWSON: I have received a letter from Country Taxis SA Incorporated, the association that represents country taxi operators, which contains serious allegations in relation to the Office of Public Transport. The letter claims that the regulations for accrediting country taxis were accepted by the association only under duress—and the words 'under duress' are not mine but those of the association. By way of background, members are aware of the South Australian transport subsidy scheme under which eligible persons receive subsidised taxi travel. After carrying such a passenger, the taxi operators have to submit the vouchers and receive payment in due course from the Office of Public Transport.

In 2007, country operators opposed regulations the government proposed to introduce on the ground that those regulations discriminated unfairly against country taxis when compared with metropolitan taxis. The letter to which I refer states:

In the latter part of 2007 the Office of Public Transport withheld from some regional taxi operators payments in excess of $100,000 for South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme taxi work done.

The letter continues:

Many loyal country taxi patrons saw fit to petition the transport minister, Patrick Conlon, about the undignified unfairness of this action. It was duly rectified, with catch-up payments subsequently being made. However, at the April 2009 meeting of Country Taxis SA it was alluded that the Office of Public Transport could revisit their program of withholding funds from Country Taxi operators should we resist complying with the government's new regulations. Country Taxis SA, as a gesture of good-faith and good-will 'noting the presence of duress', moved to accept the government's Country Taxi operator accreditation [scheme].

My questions to the minister are:

1. Did the minister or any person in the minister's office know of the tactics employed by the Office of Public Transport in relation to this matter?

2. Did the minister approve of those tactics and, if not, what action does he propose to take in relation to the serious allegations raised?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister Assisting the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Energy) (15:10): I thank the honourable member for his important questions, and I will refer them to the Minister for Transport in another place and bring back a response.

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