GOVERNMENT NEWS
Queensland News
Ombudsman for Queensland's Personalised Transport industry
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The Queensland Government is going to review the proposed powers of Queensland’s first Personalised Transport Ombudsman (PTO).
“Now is not the time to focus on more regulation and that’s why, since April, we’ve announced two industry support packages.”
The appointment of Queensland’s first PTO was expected in March 2020, however the impacts of COVID-19 has delayed the process until 2021.
“That includes $23 million specifically for the taxi and limousine industry that provided one-off payments of $3,500 per vehicle to taxi and limousine operators and one-off payments of $1,000 per licence to taxi and limousine licence holders.”
The rationale behind this is to hopefully allow sufficient time for the industry to focus on recovery. Transport and Main Roads Minister, Mark Bailey said, “By May 2020, over 1000 taxis and limousine licence holders had de-registered their vehicles to reduce costs during the COVID-19 emergency”. “There has been some re-registration of vehicles, but around 700 taxi and limousine licence holders remain without an operational vehicle at the end of last month.” “In major markets like Brisbane, the industry has advised decreases of up to 90% in rank and hail business and about 70% [decrease] of booked trips in Brisbane.”
“We’re seeing the green shoots of recovery in industries across Queensland but there’s no doubt taxi, rideshare and limousine operators will continue to feel the impacts of COVID-19 for some time.” The new Ombudsman role is intended to complement the work of other agencies at both a State and Federal level. “We know the PTO needs to be independent and empowered to investigate and mediate individual complaints and we will look at what additional powers it might need in the post-COVID world", said Mr Bailey.
DRIVE A2B magazine · www.drivea2b.com.au · September 2020
