The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party are proud to be working alongside the Taxi Owners Small Business Association of New South Wales (TOSBA) in advocating for, and with, the whole of the NSW taxi industry in achieving sustainable solutions based operational outcomes within the point-to-point transport market. Here is an update on our joint efforts to date.

SFF MLC Mark Banasiak has led the NSW Parliamentary inquiry portfolio committee no. 6 which investigated the impact of the point to point regulations implemented by the NSW State Government.  Mark also passed an SO52, forcing the government to produce documents pertaining to the 2015 reforms to the Taxi industry as well as holding the Government’s feet to the fire in parliament, calling out their complete disregard of taxi owners and drivers.

SFF and TOSBA have been campaigning for the development of sustainable restructuring of the existing taxi business model, this is centred around the recommendations that we developed through the inquiry which consists of the following five components:

• Fair and equitable financial assistance to the industry which reflects ‘true value’ loss of each taxi license (the asset) since the advent of legalised rideshare operations and regulation adopted by the current government of New South Wales.
• Restructure and reform of the existing taxi business model which allows for, and supports sustainable current and future industry investment, safety, training, optimal utilisation of taxi fleet vehicles, increased share of fares for the driver and affordable pathways for drivers to become business operators. The combination of which will provide competitive forces designed to benefit the end user.
• Review and reconstruct the existing Point to Point Transport (taxis and hire vehicles) Act 2016 to provide legislative framework supporting such reforms.
• A Taxi App developed and managed by the NSW Government to provide connected coverage within modes and across modes state-wide.
• Securing long-term application of the existing passenger service levy to provide funding for these reforms.

To see what Mark has said about the Taxi industry in Parliament click here.

The Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party are committed to the NSW Taxi Industry and will continue working with them to make sure the industry is sustainable into the future.