9. Dr JACKIE BLUE (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Transport
What actions has the Government taken to improve the safety of taxi drivers?
Hon STEVEN JOYCE (Minister of Transport) Link to this
I announced last week that all taxis in our larger towns and cities will be fitted with security cameras, along with measures to tighten up communications requirements for all taxis around New Zealand. Unfortunately, the working environment for taxi drivers is no longer safe, as it once was. Since December 2008 there have been a number of serious attacks on taxi drivers, and two deaths. These measures will help to enhance the safety of both taxi drivers and their passengers.
In-vehicle cameras are widely supported across the industry, both by Taxi Federation members and by most non-federation companies. Although drivers can never be 100 percent safe, these measures will significantly reduce the risks that drivers face. The available evidence suggests that in-vehicle cameras could reduce crime against taxi drivers by up to 70 percent and taxi fare evasion by a similar amount.
Hon Darren Hughes Link to this
Why did he cite Australian evidence as a justification for introducing this policy in a New Zealand setting, when he chooses to ignore Australian evidence for lowering the alcohol limit for driving, as my bill would do?
Because the evidence of the actual harm caused by drivers with a blood-alcohol level of between 0.05 and 0.08 in this country is not available, because a previous Government did not make the legislative change that would have allowed that data to be collected. It is a bit of a joke to hear from the member on that subject, given the previous Government’s incredibly poor record.