Media Release | Taxi Council Queensland

STATEMENT FROM TAXI COUNCIL QUEENSLAND ON TASMANIAN GOVERNMENT INTENTIONS TO LEGALISE UBER

The following can be attributed to Benjamin Wash, chief executive officer of Taxi Council Queensland.

Taxi Council Queensland has never called for uber to be banned. We have simply called for a level playing field that ensures anyone operating a taxi service plays by the same rules and abides by the law. If legislation needs to be changed so be it, however in the meantime Taxi Council Queensland expects existing regulations to be enforced and the Queensland Government to uphold the law and ensure that illegal taxi services – which currently includes uber – do not operate.

It should also be noted that it is premature to say that uber will be made legal in Tasmania, or indeed the ACT. Both governments have made it clear that any new laws will also aim to protect consumers by imposing key standards and safeguards applicable to traditional industries. The Tasmanian Premier has

UBER HAS MADE ILLEGAL COOL – AND POLICE NEED TO ACT

Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) says that the Government and police should be ashamed that illegal taxi operator uber has made criminality and illegality cool.

TCQ chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said that uber has mastered the art of lies and deception, with sections of the media and some MPs falling for it “hook, line and sinker”.

He dismissed claims that the company has done 2.5 million trips in south east Queensland as “unfounded and laughable, designed to cloak their illegal operations”.

“That police and the Government openly allow a company to break the law and ignore orders to stop, just because this company has a lot of money, is reprehensible and a blight on law and order in Queensland.

“Since when can you buy your way to break the law with money and popular publicity campaigns? It is shameful that this is being allowed.”

Mr Wash said if uber were

ILLEGAL TAXIS PLACE LIVES IN DANGER THROUGH ALCOHOL LIMITS AND SMARTPHONE USE

9/24/2015

The peak body representing the Queensland taxi industry is warning of the dangers of illegal services that do not regulate drivers to have a zero alcohol reading.

Under state transport laws, Queensland taxi drivers must always show a alcohol zero limit, and risk suspension and other penalties if found to have breached the strict regulations.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive officer Benjamin Wash says disregarding a zero alcohol limit poses serious safety concerns for customers who expect their drivers to be 100 per cent focused behind the wheel.

“Taxi drivers can not drink, full stop. A driver of an illegal taxi service can have a couple of drinks before getting on the road and picking up a passenger.”

He said it was impossible for illegal taxi services like uber to enforce their own blood alcohol limits because their drivers were not breaking the law by drinking and driving.

“Coupled with them having to use smartphones

TAXI COUNCIL WELCOMES KAP ILLEGAL TAXI CRACKDOWN

Media Release
9/15/2015

Queensland’s Taxi Council has strongly endorsed a private members bill proposed yesterday by the Katter Australian Party that calls for greater penalties for illegal taxi services, saying it was time that the Government became serious about the law.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said uber has been defying the law for too long and laughing in the faces of regulators and governments.

“In every other part of society the law is upheld and offenders are prosecuted, yet because this big foreign monopoly has money to pay fines and doesn’t care about Queensland’s transport safety regulations it appears everyone is scared to act.”

Mr Wash said he couldn’t open a restaurant without abiding by food safety regulations nor could he open a medical practice without the necessary qualifications and licensing, so “how can we stand by and allow illegal taxis to operate without any safety regulations that protect

TAXI COUNCIL WANTS PUBLIC INPUT INTO DRIVER AWARDS

Media Release
8/18/2015

For the first time, Queensland’s taxi council has turned to the public to help them find the state’s best taxi drivers.

Each year drivers and operators from across Queensland are nominated by their peers for a variety of industry awards including Taxi Driver of the Year, but this year, Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) wants to hear from customers about exceptional service they may have received while using a cab.

TCQ chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said that with more than 250,000 taxi fares every day across the state, there are “multitudes of examples of exceptional service no one hears about”.

“Customers obviously expect good service, and drivers consider this an essential part of their job and don’t seek recognition, but among these are stand-out examples of drivers going above and beyond normal expectations,” he said

The new “Customer Service” award is part of TCQ’s annual awards night on November 11

TAXI COUNCIL WELCOMES TRANSPORT REVIEW BUT SAYS UBER STILL MUST OBEY LAW

10/8/2015

Queensland’s peak taxi body says a review of personalised transport services in Queensland will provide the industry with the opportunity to put forward their views in a logical and rational manner, however has called on the State Government to continue to enforce existing legislation against illegal taxis while the review is in process.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said the industry has “never worried about competition”, declaring that the Queensland taxi industry is the best in the world.

However he believes the review should not be rushed. “The terms of reference of this review are extremely broad and it is therefore in the interests of Queensland that we get this right.”

“The recent Fels Inquiry in Victoria took two years and we believe this review should take at least that. It is important that the independent taskforce learn all of the facts and receive all of

EVERYTHING ABOUT UBER IS “SMOKE, MIRRORS AND DISHONESTY” – TAXI COUNCIL

Media Release
August 5, 2015

Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) says it’s astonishing but not surprising to learn of the latest trickery used by illegal taxi service uber to fool the public.

It has been revealed that the outlaw company shows fake uber cars on its app, to give the false impression that more cars are available than is the case.

TCQ chief executive officer Benjamin Wash says this is simply another of the numerous ‘smoke and mirrors’ tricks engaged by the company to make out they are far more popular than they are.

“Just like their purported customer numbers and safety claims, it is hard to know exactly what is the case as they continually deceive and lie to the public.

“No one should trust a company that refuses to abide by the law, refuses to submit to ATO directives, blatantly lies about its safety procedures and uses dodgy figures.”

Mr Wash is also concerned

PERSPECTIVE NEEDED IN UBER (SO-CALLED) “POPULARITY”

Media Release
7/31/2015

Perspective needed in uber (so-called) “popularity”

Queensland’s peak taxi body has called on politicians and regulators to keep perspective when talking about the popularity of illegal taxi services.

Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) CEO Benjamin Wash said he supported comments from Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday calling for a level playing field across the taxi industry.

However he is concerned by some comments from politicians and journalists that the illegal taxi service was “incredibly popular”, stating that the figures showed “Queenslanders overwhelmingly don’t want private taxis that ignore safety regulations”.

“While uber talk about their 150,000 customers, the Queensland taxi industry has 110 million customers.”

“By their own figures – which are likely inflated and cannot be proved, uber transports around 0.13 per cent of the amount of customers who catch taxis. You can’t make public policy on that,” he explained.

Mr Wash said while uber talk about transporting 100,000 customers per year,

UBER DRIVERS WILL GET AWAY WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT – TAXI COUNCIL

Media Release
7/28/2015

Last week’s report of an alleged sexual assault of a female passenger by an uber driver in Perth may be difficult to prove because the illegal taxi service refuses to abide by Government safety regulations that include cameras, according to the CEO of Taxi Council Queensland.

Benjamin Wash also predicted that sexual assaults by uber drivers will increase if the illegal taxi service continues to operate as they are less likely to be convicted, and pointed to other assaults in Melbourne and overseas.

“uber X is operating outside the law, meaning they have no safety measures, taking us back to the dark ages,” Mr Wash said.

“In Queensland there are over 250,000 taxi fares every day yet the incidence of driver misbehaviour is very rare, partly because the actions of drivers are captured on in-car cameras and taxis are GPS monitored.”

He said when there is an incident, police have video proof

CASINO WILL BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO SMALL BUSINESS – TAXI INDUSTRY

Media Release
7/24/2015

Casino will breathe new life into small business – taxi industry

Queensland’s taxi peak body believes Brisbane’s new casino will stimulate local tourism and small business in a way the city has not seen since World Expo.

Taxi Council Queensland chief executive officer Benjamin Wash said the state’s taxi industry is made up of over 15,000 small business owners, who are just some of those that will benefit from projects like casinos and cruise ship terminals.

He said the industry has developed its tourism image over the past few years through close engagement with other tourism industry participants, and will be ready to be the ‘face of Queensland’ when the casino opens.

“Taxi drivers are often the first people tourists see when they arrive and the last they see before they depart, and we’ve been implementing a tourism ambassador program across Queensland for the past few years.”

Mr Wash is also expecting to