Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
2018-08-01 Daily Xml

Contents

Taxi Industry

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (14:35): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking a question of the Hon. David Ridgway, representing the Minister for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, the Hon. Stephan Knoll.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: In today's Advertiser, the Taxi Council of South Australia has raised concerns about the ongoing deregulation of the taxi industry by making it easier for the largely unregulated ride-share industry to operate at the expense of taxi plate owners and operators who pay significantly more in costs and charges to run their fleets. It runs to the tune of about $18,000 a year.

Recommendations have been made by an advisory body, of which the TCSA is not a member, that include lifting the age limit of vehicles to 10 years, easing advertising restrictions to allow video ads to be played inside the vehicles and, of more concern, removing the requirements for driver accreditation applicants to provide copies of their citizenship, passports and visa details when applying for accreditation. My questions to the minister are:

1. Why isn't the peak body representing the taxi industry represented on the advisory committee?

2. Does he not believe that raising age limits of vehicles used to transport passengers will create lower safety standards?

3. Will any recommendations be discussed with all stakeholders before they are applied?

4. Has DPTI consulted with the federal government's Department of Home Affairs, or immigration and citizenship, about its own proposal to dispense with vital information about citizenship and visas, and what is the reasoning behind this recommendation?

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment) (14:37): I thank the honourable member for his question. It is a very detailed question, and I will take it on notice and hopefully bring back a very detailed answer for him.