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Taxi QR Codes

Published on: August 2024

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-144370

Taxi QR Codes

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (11:51:02):

My question is directed to the Minister for Transport. Does the Minister support the Opposition's proposal, supported by the NSW Taxi Council, to put QR codes into taxis to monitor whether customers are being charged the correct fare?

Ms JO HAYLEN (Summer HillMinister for Transport) (11:51:20):

— I thank the member for North Shore for her question. I am interested in the fact that she wants to see better public transport across the board. That is a good thing and we are open to all ideas—whether it be QR codes, better and stronger regulation or working with the industry constructively—to make sure that people have a reliable, fair trip and they are not ripped off. It is one of the reasons our Government has been dealing with the taxi industry mess we were left by those opposite. We had a situation where taxi licensees were left in complete limbo and passengers were worse off.

But we are taking action to protect passengers and also our city's reputation as a great global destination. The journey from the airport or the cruise terminal to the hotel or the Airbnb should be a fair, reasonable price. It is one of the reasons the Point to Point Transport Commissioner has been on the ranks hailing cabs, busting illegal and unsafe driver behaviour. Taxis are required to show the commissioner's 24-hour Taxi Fare Hotline because of the changes our Government has made to ensure that passengers have a number to call with issues and complaints. We have increased the penalty for fare‑related offences to a $1,000 on-the-spot fine.

We do not want taxi drivers ripping off passengers; we want to make sure that everyone gets a fair ride home. I will be clear, though, that the vast majority of taxi drivers are hardworking men and women working in a tough environment. In fact, they are small business owners. They know that there are requirements that they have to meet. They know about deadlines. They know about forms. They know that they have to make sure that they tick all the boxes. They are part of our public transport system, which runs on a timetable. We talk a lot about timetables. One of my absolute objectives as the Minister for Transport is to provide a more reliable transport system.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

Order! The member for Goulburn will come to order. The Minister will resume her seat. The member for North Shore rises on a point of order.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

The Minister can continue. It is fine.

The SPEAKER:

There is no point of order. The Minister has the call.

Ms JO HAYLEN:

She missed her opportunity. It happens a lot on that side of the Chamber. And it is a big opportunity they have missed, too.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The member for North Shore will resume her seat.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

I am entitled to take a point of order.

The SPEAKER:

Nothing has changed since the member rose to take her previous point of order and then resumed her seat. The Minister made a remark, but it was not offensive.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Mr Speaker, you do not know my point of order and you are already ruling on it.

The SPEAKER:

I do not want to know the point of order.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Am I entitled to take a point of order in this House?

The SPEAKER:

Not right now you're not. We can discuss it later. The Minister's time has expired.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Is it your ruling that I am not entitled to take a point of order in this House?

The SPEAKER:

You know that is not what I am saying. The member for North Shore will resume her seat.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

You are not allowing me to take a point of order.

The SPEAKER:

You are wasting our time. The member for North Shore will be directed to remove herself from the Chamber if she does not resume her seat.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Wow.

The SPEAKER:

It is not a matter of "wow". It is a matter of the decorum of the House.

Mr Edmond Atalla:

Loser.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

The member for Mount Druitt just called me a loser. That is unparliamentary language.

The SPEAKER:

I am unaware of the exchange, but all members will come to order.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

I would appreciate not being called a loser in this Chamber.

The SPEAKER:

If that was said, I ask the member to withdraw it.

Ms Eleni Petinos:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The member for Miranda will resume her seat. I am dealing with the matter. The member who said that will withdraw their comment.

Mr Edmond Atalla:

I withdraw my comment.