Articles by Malcolm Farr

The ACT will be the first Australian government to legalise and regulate ride sharing with the online transport business Uber ready to start approved operations from October 30.The Government will roll out laws likely to be copied by other Australian jurisdictions where unregulated Uber is starting to eat into the customer base of traditional taxis, and where worries are growing for the safety of passengers carried by unregistered drivers.The opening of the Canberra market to ride sharing will be accompanied by reduced fees for taxi and hire car owners to cut their operating costs and allow them to compete with the newcomers.The reforms also change laws to match the casual Uber attitude — taxi drivers no longer will have to wear uniforms. Presently even wearing a dirty uniform is illegal.The measures are an acceptance that ride sharing businesses are here to stay and need to meet standards to protect customers."These reforms champion innovation and help taxi and hire car services remain sustainable and important modes of travel in the territory," said Mr Barr."Canberra's taxi drivers will have access to multiple modes of business, from traditional rank-and-hail work to ride sharing and third-party taxi booking apps."This will increase productivity and income streams for drivers while providing a consistent and high-quality on-demand transport service for Canberrans."Mr Barr said today ride sharing vehicles and drivers will have to be accredited and registered with attention paid to criminal records and driving histories, as already happens with regular taxi drivers.Vehicles must pass safety checks and be fully insured. Taxi networks also need looking after."The ACT Government recognises that new business models may put pressure on Canberra's existing taxi drivers and owners," said Mr Barr."That's why from 30 October, the Government will reduce costs for drivers and owners of taxis, halving taxi license lease fees in 2016 and halving them again in 2017."Annual license fees for hire cars will also be significantly reduced." Only taxis will be allowed to make kerbside pick ups and use ranks, and ride sharers having to prearrange their fares.A ride share driver will have to pay a $50 application fee, $65 for a vehicle inspection, and $45 for a police check.

The senior Liberal politician blamed the difficulties of struggling Australian carmakers on a misreading of the market, saying Australians "don't want to buy Australian cars". And Hockey's comments indicated he thought buyers were looking more favourably at the 60 foreign makes on sale in Australia. The shadow treasurer's blunt assessment of the local industry's woes came as Ford began forced retrenchments at its Geelong and Broadmeadows plants, blaming low sales. Hockey today was asked on the Seven network for the Coalition's view of subsidies for car makers. "People are not buying Australian cars, Australian-made cars, because they don't want to buy Australian-made cars," he said. "And the cars are not meeting their demands as consumers." The comments are a sign that a Coalition government would question the Gillard government's $5.4 billion support package to be paid to the automotive industry through to 2020. Hockey said Australia should have a vehicle industry but that "protection is not the answer". "The bottom line is we need an efficient car. We need cars that consumers want and then the motor vehicle industry will survive," he said. About 212 positions will be lost at the Ford factories with workers being told the jobs some have held for close to 30 years are over. Ford has said it has been unable to rely on the domestic market while the high Australian dollar was making exports less competitive. Environment Minister Tony Burke joined criticism of the local industry by saying it had been slow to offer fuel-efficient vehicles.  "The challenge for Australian-made vehicles across the board has been that we were behind the curve in moving to more fuel-efficient cars,'' Mr Burke said. "A whole lot of the Government investment that we have been putting into the car industry is about making sure we can have Australian-made hybrids - about making sure we can have Australian-made, more efficient cars.'' And it seems a growing number of consumers agree with Hockey. "If any of the locals built a small, rear-wheel-drive car that had some get up and go, I'd be all over it,'' Terry of Adelaide wrote on news.com.au. Another reader, named ‘Aussie’ said: "He's right. Most Aussie cars are too big and too ugly. They can't expect the Government to keep throwing money at the industry when it's just not working. Something has to change.'' Another commenter said Hockey was "absolutely correct". "My family were in the market for a new car and after considering all the mid/small range Australian cars for quality and price, we brought a Kia Cerato because of value for money, excellent five-year warranty, quite well built and the 'free' extras that came with it," he wrote. "All the Aussie cars couldn't or wouldn't match. Protection isn't the answer. Hard reality is continued bail outs with our money over the years is just stalling the inevitable.''  

The first whack is in ever-climbing vehicle registration fees from state government; the second is from an unrelenting fuel excise which the Federal Government would love to increase but can’t.Read the full story here