ACT municipal services minister John Hargreaves has rejected claims by the opposition a plan for new leased taxi licences will not help improve the local taxi industry.

Shadow transport minister Steve Pratt said the government was only making things worse with its taxi industry measures, and that the minister had not consulted with taxi drivers for at least a year.

But Mr Hargreaves says Pratt has got it wrong.

He said some of the problems were not the government's problem to solve.

“One of the greatest issues affecting the taxi industry is driver numbers," he said.

"This is an industry problem that must be addressed by the industry. Mr Pratt does not seem to understand that the government, as industry regulator, does not have the responsibility or the authority to address it."

The minister also said he had met with industry representatives quite recently.

“I last met with taxi industry representatives on July 12, 2007," he said.

"(They said)… complaints about taxis have decreased significantly in the past few months. This is an encouraging trend and one that the government will do all it can to perpetuate in its role as industry regulator."

Mr Hargreaves said the government was improving the taxi industry, while the opposition was quick to attack but slow to present plans of his own for Canberra cabs. 

http://ibnnews.org/local/hargreaves_rejects_pratt_taxi_comments_9807_0120048452117_000000.html