State Liberals drafting legislation to allow ride sharing services in South Australia

RIDE sharing service Uber X would be legalised in South Australia under a plan to be put to State Parliament which the Liberals say will create jobs and more choice for consumers.

• The Advertiser’s Jo Lim takes a ride with Uber X
• Uber keen to recruit drivers in Adelaide
• Uber granted limited approval to operate in SA
• Calls to approve UberX to create jobs in SA

RIDE sharing service Uber X would be legalised in South Australia under a plan to be put to State Parliament which the Liberals say will create jobs and more choice for consumers.

Opposition Leader Steven Marshall today said the Liberals were drafting legislation to permit ride sharing services in SA, following moves in other Australian capitals.

The move is likely to draw fire from the state’s taxi industry, where drivers are forced to buy expensive plates from the State Government and subjected to high levels of regulation.

Advocates of ride-sharing say it is more convenient and often cheaper than traditional taxis.

Mr Marshall said a four-year ban on issuing new plates should be introduced to protect existing taxi drivers, and they should also retain exclusive rights over access to cab ranks.

Uber operates in almost 400 cities around the world, offering carpooling, ride-sharing and premium services. Its premium hire-care service, Uber Black, is currently allowed in SA and the State Government has been reviewing laws as it also considers allowing Uber X.

Mr Marshall said legalising ride sharing would increase competition in SA.

“This is about giving commuters the choice they want when it comes to transport options in

SA,” he said. “It’s also about creating much needed jobs. “This is an exciting opportunity and we must act now to catch the innovation wave and avoid being left behind.”

Mr Marshall accused the State Government of being “too slow to act” and “holding back SA” by “sitting on a taxpayer-funded review that finished months ago”.

He called for the review to be immediately released.

Labor has the power to block the Liberals’ legislation in the Lower House, with Transport and Infrastructure Minister Stephen Mullighan accusing Mr Marshall of making “policy on the run”.

He said Mr Marshall had got “basic facts wrong” by stating the service operated legally in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, when only New South Wales and the ACT had approved it.

“He’s also changed his position from advocating for a trial to now saying he will legislate on an ongoing basis,” Mr Mullighan said.

“Even Mike Baird, the Liberal NSW Premier, announced a detailed industry assistance and compensation scheme for the taxi industry.

“By ignoring the need for industry assistance, Steven Marshall is sending a clear message to the taxi industry that he doesn’t care about their future or the families involved in the industry.”

Mr Mullighan said the Government would be releasing its response to the inquiry with an aim to growing a “sustainable taxi” and chauffeur industry which was attractive to customers.

Issues under consideration in the Government review include how to improve service in the taxi and hire-car industries, including the standard of cars and training of drivers, passenger fares and payments to drivers, car booking systems and the number of taxi plates allowed in SA.

Uber claims it could create 20,000 jobs around the country through expansion of its service.

Changes instituted in NSW last year slashed regulations and costs for taxi drivers and operators.

They included removing vehicle standards to allow any car to be used as a taxi, hire car or ride-sharing vehicle and removing age limits for those vehicles.

The NSW Government also dropped rules regulating eating and drinking in a vehicle, ensuring a vehicle is clean, the use of airconditioning and how long a driver should wait for a customer.

In return for allowing Uber X to operate in NSW, the government there has promised $250 million in taxi industry compensation that’s funded by charging passengers a $1 levy.

Uber says all its drivers undergo a police screening and a driving history check.

Uber argues its system is safer for passengers because the mobile phone app logs details of their trip and driver. The cashless system also reduces the chances of a driver being robbed, it argues.