Page 4070 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 24 October 1990
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SOCIAL POLICY - STANDING COMMITTEE
Statement by Chairman
MR WOOD, by leave: I wish to inform the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Policy has resolved to inquire into and report on behavioural disturbance among the young. It is as simple as that. We will take some time to do that. It is an important issue and one we will set about with vigour.
MOTOR TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. 7) 1990
Debate resumed from 18 October 1990, on motion by Mr Duby:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Connolly: Mr Deputy Speaker, Mrs Grassby is on her way down. She may in fact be trapped at the lifts. I wonder whether Mr Jensen would take the call and Mrs Grassby could be given the call when she arrives.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, that is suitable, Mr Jensen, if you are happy to do that.
Mr Jensen: Mr Deputy Speaker, yes, I am happy to help Mrs Grassby out on this occasion.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: I call Mr Jensen.
MR JENSEN (3.48): I am pleased to support this Bill to amend the Motor Traffic Act 1936. This Bill achieves two purposes. Firstly, it amends the Motor Traffic Act 1936 to allow the auctioning of taxi plates and, secondly, it relaxes the requirement for a taxi or hire car licence holder to use, control and manage the licensed vehicle. This latter provision will allow leasing of taxi and hire car plates.
This Government intends to auction nine taxi plates before the end of this year. Presently the Motor Traffic Act 1936 only allows the responsible Minister to sell taxi licences for a determined fee. This prevents the release of plates by auction where the price paid for a licence is determined by competitive bidding. However, the introduction of this Bill will not only allow these nine additional plates to be auctioned but also will allow greater flexibility in the future release of taxi plates. This Bill will also allow a taxi or hire car licensee to lease his or her plate to another individual after notification, of course, to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that illegal leasing arrangements are widespread in the public vehicle industry. Currently licence holders risk having their taxi or hire car licence cancelled if they do not have use, control and management over the taxi or hire car. Effectively, this
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