this country if they embraced a more balanced
balanced approach to transport spending.
BELL RUNG INTERRUPTION
INTERRUPTION Denis O'Rourke.
Denis O'Rourke. Mr Speaker, New Zealand
Zealand First will not supportthis bill
bill further. INTERRUPTION We
We do support, of course, some of its purposes, though, and mandatory
offences, and especially indefinite disqualification for repeat
that we would definitely support. Also, offences of failing to pay
for bus or train
become a pretty large problem, especially for rail services
in Auckland
support that as well. Concerning the impounding of cars and
drivers, we do
do think it's necessary to delete the
right to be secure against the unreasonable
unreasonable seizure of property. In any
any event, it's already possible for vehicles to be impounded under
Act, which is the power to impound vehicles
vehicles for 28 days for failing to stop. That's
stop. That's already there, and it's a serious issue, because
fleeing drivers were involved
in 29 deaths in the five years
drivers were involved in 29 deaths
recorded in that year alone. That's an increase, in one year, of 371.
So it
it shows that this is actually a problem which is getting worse and
worse. New Zealand First would like
that they do have more than they currently do. This
is an offence that has to be stamped out.
comes to small passenger services, however, this is the part of the
bill that New Zealand First can't support.
support. We do agree, of course, that
that it's silly to have separate rules for taxis and Uber
services and others involved in the industry.
One set of regulations ought to
mean a
support that. But that doesn't mean that we have to lower standards
to provide a carte blanche for Uber
services. In
services. In that respect, we say, in New Zealand First, that
the taxidriver industry does have a
valid complaint relating to
the wholesale lowering of
standards across the board, which this bill
will inevitably result in.
That is especially in relation to the safety
of passengers and drivers. It does
seem that
seem that this is a price which the Government is willing to pay
in order to
orderto have, and encourage, Uber services. But we, in New
Zealand First,
First, say safety first. We say safety
safety of drivers and passengers come before that. And we agree with
have been getting away with blue murder as far
as the services that they provide without
compliance to the
the current regulations are concerned. Whereas, on the other
hand, Mr
hand, Mr Speaker, the taxidrivers actually
actually have a very fine record of compliance
Now
Now following the select committee process, Uber
process, Uber drivers will now be required to
required to obtain a P endorsement, but they should also have to do what
taxi drivers
taxi drivers are now required to do. One of those is to
have a good standard
standard of English. Iwould have thought that is absolutely
absolutely basic for that, and also an area knowledge test, something
which is also absolutely
basic for someone who drives people from A to
someone who drives people from A to B. How on
B. How on earth can they provide a proper
Those are the things that are being removed by
removed by this bill all to accommodate
removed by this bill all to accommodate Uber. Another
issue is the removal of
mandatory signs on and in vehicles. We say they should
stay. Uber
stay. Uber vehicles should have the same mandatory
same mandatory signs on and in their vehicles
vehicles as taxis now do. After all, the signs on
the exterior of vehicles
vehicles could easily be removable
in this day and age magnetic signs
are very easy to obtain and that
could be done without any inconvenience
inconvenience and very little cost to the Uber drivers.
Passengers need to know a vehicle that is providing
a transport service is
an authorised passenger
passenger service. People are entitled to
entitled to know that and they won't know that if the vehicles aren't
signed. In
signed. In addition to that, it assists vehicles in
being identified as such,
as such, so that enforcement, when necessary,
necessary, can easily be carried out. We also
deplore the deletion of braille
braille signs and I couldn't believe my ears when
I heard Jonathan Young say because of his
experience in his home town are apparently he thinks
that only one taxi with braille signs in it should
be needed, well, surely he's
surely he's been to larger towns than
than that where there are a lot of people
than that where there are a lot of people who need that service
vehicles should be required to have braille signs
braille signs inside them. After all, how
braille signs inside them. After
Very, very little difficulty and very, very
very, very little expense in comparison
comparison to the huge benefit for
applies to interior security cameras.
cameras. Passengers like that idea and most
and most of all the drivers like that idea because
it is a safety measure
measure and it provides a record of events
events which would not othenNise be available.
inside taxis as they now are. And why
inconvenient or theyjust don't like in
in it there for some reason. I don't understand why that's being
Zealand First will vote against it. We always regret the
loss of the approved taxi
approved taxi organisations, because that
that is what it will be, which ensure
ensure compliance and the maintenance
maintenance of standard and compliance
compliance with regulations. The loss
loss of those is going to mean a loss
loss of standards across the board, especially
loss of standards across the board, especially when it comes
to safety of
of passengers and drivers. All because
because Uber could not comply with that.
that. So as a result we are going to see
see the demise of those organisations
is not something we should be agreeing to and yet this
Government is doing it
agreeing to and yet this Government is doing itjust to make sure
that we
will do anything, apparently, to do that. We say in New
Zealand First this this
that. We say in New Zealand First this this country isn't yet ready
the way that you see operating overseas. That
and it it is going to lower standards
standards and all because the
Government
accommodate Uber. Actually, they need
need to accommodate our legal system and
and our standards. We deplore that these safety levels will be
reduced and we deplore that Uber
takes profits
profits from New Zealand to benefit overseas
case with most taxi providers. However, having
However, having said all that, it sounds
fact, all we actually want is a fair deal
deal for taxi operators and that's not what the parties that
supporting this bill apparently want. All we want
pretty simple to provide. First of all exterior vehicle signage,
interior security cameras, interior
information in
information in braille, a P endorsement
endorsement for Uber drivers as well as all others
as all others providing a passenger service,
service, an English language test and an
and an area knowledge test. Not until we get
those things are we actually
actually going to get a genuine level playing field and
a transport system for small passenger service
system for small passenger service vehicles which
vehicles which will be sustainable, which will
which will be safe and which could be
be supported by all parties in the House. But without
those things, New Zealand
Zealand First won't be voting for this bill because it is sub
standard. It
standard. It is sub standard in terms
terms of safety and it is sub standard in terms of providing
the level
standard in terms of providing the
service which taxi drivers have built
built in this country over many years. That is all
destroyed simply because this Government
Government has had its arm twisted up its back by people who
want to
should be coming to the party and providing the level of service and
the safety
We'll be voting against. Dr Jian Yang.
We'll be voting against. Dr Jian
This bill aims to promote safety. Firstly I say it
will strengthen the regulation relating to alcohol
interlock, to