WA to recruit interstate taxi drivers

Alannah MacTiernan. Pic by: Theo Fakos

Western Australia will advertise in Victoria and other states to attract hundreds of taxi drivers to Perth.

About 300 Perth taxi drivers went on strike in February to protest another of the state government's measures to increase the number of taxis in the city.

The taxi drivers opposed the introduction of peak period cab licences between 5am and 9am, Monday to Friday, which they said took valuable work away from them and forced some out of the business.

WA Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan announced on April 7 that the government would pay all the training and application costs for up to 200 experienced interstate taxi drivers to enter the Perth taxi industry.

There would also be a 100 per cent training subsidy for 200 WA students to become taxi drivers. Ms MacTiernan said the initiatives had been developed in consultation with the Taxi Council of WA and the Taxi Industry Forum of WA, which had called February's strike.

"An advertising campaign will shortly commence in the eastern states, initially in Victoria, to encourage experienced taxi drivers to make the move to WA,'' Ms MacTiernan said.

The Taxi Council of WA and the Taxi Industry Forum of WA were being sought for comment.

AAP
April, 7, 2008