[Greens-Media] Tas Greens_Greens Win on Taxi Bill_T Morris MP

[greens at parliament.tas.gov.au]

GREENS WIN ON TAXI BILL

Government Accepts Greens' Amendment

Tim Morris MP
Greens Shadow Infrastructure Spokesperson

Wednesday, 27 August 2008
Contact: State Parliamentary Offices of the Tasmanian Greens, (03) 6233
8300

www.tas.greens.org.au


The Tasmanian Greens welcomed the Government's acceptance of a
Greens-initiated amendment to the Taxi and Luxury Car Industries Bill
2008 that moved to ensure that the legislation will now allow for the
issuing of taxi licences in three regional Tasmanian communities that
would otherwise have been excluded - Campbelltown and Oatlands, the
Carlton/Dodges Ferry/Primrose Sands area, and the towns of Snug and
Kettering.

Greens Shadow Infrastructure spokesperson Tim Morris MP said the reform
proposed by the Bartlett Government would have precluded Taxi licences,
including Wheelchair Accessible Taxis, in three regional Tasmanian
communities but that this straightforward and sensible amendment to the
Taxi and Luxury Car Industries Bill 2008 will correct the anomaly.

"I thank the Infrastructure Minister, Graeme Sturges, for accepting a
Greens-initiated amendment to fix a flaw in the government's proposed
legislation, and to ensure that the three regional Tasmanian communities
of Campbelltown and Oatlands, the Carlton/Dodges Ferry/Primrose Sands
area, and the towns of Snug and Kettering, can be recognised for the
purpose of issuing a taxi licence," Mr Morris said.

"Now that Parliament has created the opportunity for taxis to be
established in the Midlands, Southern Beaches and Lower Channel, I would
like to see the Bartlett government promoting the business opportunities
that now exist for prospective taxi operators in these areas." 

"Minister Sturges also agreed to accept the Greens' proposal for
investigating the creation of separate taxi area for Sorell and Midway
Point, which are currently included in the Hobart area, as I have been
told that it is currently extremely difficult to get taxi's from Hobart
to service these two towns."

"Without this Greens' amendment to the Taxi and Luxury Car Industries
Bill 2008 it would have been virtually impossible to get new taxis,
including Wheelchair Accessible Taxis, established in the Midlands,
Southern Beaches and Channel areas, even if a taxi operator thought they
could establish a viable business in one of those areas."

"The Minister, Mr Sturges was very clear that the purpose of this Bill
was to improve transport services for the community, and the Greens
amendment has ensured that all Tasmanian communities can now be treated
equally in relation to the establishment if taxi services, which would
not have happened without this amendment," Mr Morris said.



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