Page 3460 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 19 September 1990
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Taxi Licences
MRS NOLAN: My question is to Mr Duby in his capacity as Minister for Transport. Does the Minister intend to issue additional taxi licences in the near future?
MR DUBY: I think that is an excellent question and I thank Mrs Nolan for it.
Mrs Grassby: Nine. It was in the budget. Didn't you read the budget? It is less than we were going to issue. We were going to issue 15.
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mrs Grassby!
MR DUBY: As the cacklers from the other side have announced, it was in the budget. I think it is appropriate that the situation in relation to additional taxi licences in the ACT should be clarified. The Government is very aware of some concerns in various quarters around the town that more taxis are needed to maintain the level of service to the public and to provide a service to our tourism industry. I have recently received advice on this matter from the ACT Taxi Industry Advisory Committee, and my decision was announced with the budget by the Treasurer on budget day.
I am not too sure whether the Treasurer announced the exact details. The simple fact is that nine additional taxi licences will be made available by public auction as soon as possible. It is anticipated that this will be done in a series of two public auctions, one of five plates and one of four. A Government reserve of the order of $100,000 will be put on the plates. It is anticipated that these additional plates will be on the road and serving the citizens of Canberra by the new year, or early in the new year at the latest.
Literacy and Numeracy
MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Minister for Education. I understand that soon he will be releasing a paper on literacy and numeracy. Would the Minister inform the Assembly which is more important - testing students to ascertain levels that they have reached, or promoting means of actually improving literacy and numeracy?
MR HUMPHRIES: I can feel a supplementary question coming on, Mr Speaker. I do not think it is possible to prioritise the importance of those two things vis-a-vis each other. It is obviously important that both those things occur. I think that the fundamental threshold before decisions are made in this area is establishment of the extent of a need for remedial measures in the area.
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