How will one calculate the compensation package for Taxi owners/drivers?

Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) — My adjournment matter today is for the Minister for Public Transport, Ms Allan. It is in regard to the compensation package being offered to taxi owners and taxi plate owners, and the action I am seeking is a review of the compensation package and of how they are going to calculate it and provide it.

As we have all probably had, I have had many emails from many taxi owners. This changing technology of ridesharing is severely disrupting their industry. I appreciate that; I probably have a closer understanding of it than many in our community. I have listened to many of the taxi families as they have come and spoken to me, and they are suffering. It is not across the board; it is varied. Some owners are suffering a lot more than other owners.

I just wanted to read one email I received from a taxi licence-holder, Vic De Melis:

… my taxi lease payments have not been received into my account. These payments have never been late before. I can’t tell you how distressing this is for myself and my wife. We are 80 and so worried that our income will be reduced to nil immediately.

Another one from Zeliha Kilic says that she and her husband purchased a taxi licence right at the top of their value at over $500 000. That taxi licence is now worth around $40 000, and she still owes $200 000 to the bank to purchase that licence. So there are quite a variety of different situations for these taxi licence-holders.

I ask that the minister review the way that they are working on the compensation package to provide a more nuanced approach. I do not think the one-size-fits-all approach is going to work here. We need to recognise that some people are facing much greater loss and much greater hardship than others. I think this compensation package needs to be on a case-by-case basis. I ask that the minister review the way the compensation package is being delivered.