Page 438 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 20 February 2019
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Simeon and Bozna started driving taxis in the 80s. After working seven days a week and after 25 years of work, they had finally saved enough to invest in two taxi plates. Now, Simeon and Bozna are forced to live on $220 a week. I would like to see the Chief Minister try to live on $220 a week, Madam Speaker.
Then there is the Khan family, Michael and his wife, and their daughter Sofiya. Sofiya is a disabled person and is unable to work, solely reliant on the income from her taxi plate. Michael can no longer afford to use his car. The family have cut back on groceries to what they deem to be an unhealthy level. Michael is having sleepless nights, headaches and other stress-related medical problems due to the anxiety this government has caused him. Michael says:
This is a desperate situation, it has become a matter of life and death in my case.
Stanley is 53 and drives a taxi for a living. He is now working longer hours for less money. He says:
I am very angry that this is not the same level playing field that we were promised before. It’s totally unfair what the government has done to us.
Sok has a family of three. Sok is working 16 hours a day driving a taxi and still has barely enough money to pay his mortgage. Sok says:
I’m always tired but I can never sleep well due to stress. I am constantly thinking about the future and becoming more and more anxious about it.
Bobby has a family of four. Bobby asks why the government continues to release more taxi plates when current owners are already struggling to make ends meet. Bobby says he can no longer afford gifts for his children on special occasions.
Peter is 70 years old. Peter is still working and does not know when he will be able to afford to retire. Peter’s physical and mental health and wellbeing have been severely affected, and he is experiencing stress and depression. Peter says:
The ACT Government has destroyed us, they have ruined our lives.
These are not wealthy retirees; these are not rich investors. These are hardworking everyday people who have been deeply affected by this government’s policies, not just financially affected but affected physically and emotionally as a direct result of the government’s unfair, inequitable and unjust policy. What has the government offered these people? The government, this heartless government, has offered financial counselling services.
A few years ago, perpetual taxi plates were worth almost $500,000. More recently, and following the introduction of Uber and rideshare into the market, these plates fell to a value of $250,000. Even more recently, the government released even more taxi plates to market, and this has resulted in values falling to only $80,000. And they are expected to continue to fall to less than $50,000. On top of this, less than two years ago, taxi plate owners could lease their plates for $20,000 a year. Now, they can receive no more than $5,000 a year for taxi plate leases.
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