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Category: Government and Politics / Road Transport / Community and Society / State Parliament / States and Territories

Queensland to legalise Uber, provide $100m to taxi industry

Thursday, 11 Aug 2016 07:41:31

The Taxi Council has flagged safety concerns over the ride-booking service. (ABC: James Glenday)

Ride-booking service Uber will be legalised in Queensland from September 5, with a $100 million assistance package to be offered to the taxi industry.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was time the Government created a level playing field.

However, there will not be a new tax on passengers, as was introduced in New South Wales, Ms Palaszczuk added.

To help the taxi industry, 80 pieces of red tape will be cut, that is on top of the $100 million assistance package, including over $4 million in taxi fees to be waived over the next 12 months.

"This is because the taxi industry is different from many other industries that have faced disruption, because it has been heavily regulated by Government for generations," Ms Palaszczuk said on her Facebook page.

"We want to put a premium on passenger safety, and ensure all operators follow a new, fair set of rules, with the best interests of consumers at heart.

"We are embracing innovative new technologies and business models right across our economy and up and down our state, and the personalised transport sector is no different.

"But at the same time as we embrace the future, we will do it in a way that supports the taxi industry."

Taxi Council representatives will meet with the Government today to discuss their concerns.

The Taxi Council's Lane Gardner said he believed one of the regulations would require Uber drivers to have a blue card.

"We think this is going to happen," he said.

"This (Uber) might be a little bit cheaper, but at the end of the day, is it any safer? There's no cameras in the cars, there's no audio in the cars.

"The person who picks up their daughter or their wife, can turn their phone off and there's no tracking in the car."

The RACQ's Paul Turner supported the legalisation if taxis had exclusive access to "rank and hail" services.

The Government is yet to confirm those details.

"We think that's the best option," Mr Turner said. "We need to get ride-sharing regulated so that we get safe drivers and safe cars, and government plays a role in that while also keeping costs down for consumers."

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