Tuesday, 30 August 2022

Taxi fares

Mr BARTON (Eastern Metropolitan) (20:32): (2096) My adjournment matter this evening is for the minister for transport. Just last week channels 7 and 9 and radio station 3AW reported on taxidrivers who refused to turn on the meter even while sitting at a taxi rank. Instead of the driver turning on the meter, passengers are being quoted prices in the realm of $60 to $80 to get from Rod Laver Arena to Richmond or to the city. There is no doubt that blame lands at the feet of the regulator. What this means is that taxidrivers, who have received only one fare increase in the past 14 years, are following the Uber model and surge pricing.

Let us be clear: they are allowed to negotiate a fare. This is not their fault. They are in a market with 120 000 drivers, all fighting for a smaller piece of the pie. They are forced to watch on as Uber exploit demand and surge prices whenever it suits them, and it suits them a lot. Meanwhile the taxidrivers sit handcuffed by price ceilings enforced by a system that up until recently did not really even consider the financial viability of operating a taxi when setting fares. In real terms their wages have decreased consistently. Now taxidrivers are some of the most vulnerable workers in this state. However, the solution is not to match the exploitative Uber model. We need a regulator that protects Nonna from Northcote, who wants to get home from the footy match at the G on a rainy Sunday. If nothing is done, vulnerable Victorians will suffer.

I have been raising this issue for some time and have just been ignored. We must do something to stamp out these practices that just do not match the expectations of the community. Firstly, we need to increase the maximum fares for taxidrivers to alleviate their financial suffering. I believe we are on track for this to happen shortly. Taxidrivers have families to feed. Many have legacy debts from the reforms of 2017, and they make decisions every day based on these hard facts. Minister, the action I seek is: will you instruct Transport Safety Victoria to perform their role and start regulating to protect passengers and the drivers from this exploitation?