Before and after 1984, prejudice and bigotry were used to divert attention from bone deep corruption and serious mismanagement in NSW and Australia. The cunning application of prejudice and bigotry were instrumental for John Howard’s un-winnable wins!
Due to endemic corruption taxi drivers do not make much money and endure unsafe workplace and work practices in NSW! Other states of Australia are worst in this regard!!
Yet diverting attention from the real issues by migrant bashing is becoming very popular! Remember, only a congenital racist will expect any well educated and well spoken migrant kids will waste their lives by driving taxis.
Let’s be realistic and examine the real issues like the followings.
Cab reform comes at cost, Stupid Taxi Owners, NSW Taxi Royal Commission, Target Beyond Taxi Mafia Game and Beyond, Beyond the NSW Taxi Royal Commission, An Open Letter to NSW Premier Nathan Rees, The Power of the Taxi Mafia and Taxi Washer to Taxi Mafia are only a few recent contribution of Faruque Ahmed to counter media black out organised by the taxi mafia. Independent Commission Against Corruption could be used as a reference point of the Sydney Taxi Industry or even Australia! Members of Parliament and media outlets, NSW Minister for Transport and Sydney Taxi are a few available links for some of the recent activities in the Taxi Industry.
Cab reform comes at cost, Stupid Taxi Owners, NSW Taxi Royal Commission, Target Beyond Taxi Mafia Game and Beyond, Beyond the NSW Taxi Royal Commission, An Open Letter to NSW Premier Nathan Rees, The Power of the Taxi Mafia and Taxi Washer to Taxi Mafia are only a few recent contribution of Faruque Ahmed to counter media black out organised by the taxi mafia. Independent Commission Against Corruption could be used as a reference point of the Sydney Taxi Industry or even Australia! Members of Parliament and media outlets, NSW Minister for Transport and Sydney Taxi are a few available links for some of the recent activities in the Taxi Industry.
New taxi drivers will soon have to prove their English skills and their knowledge of local geography to get their licence.
Under new national standards agreed to by the nation's transport ministers at the Australian Transport Council meeting in Sydney on Friday, all new taxi drivers will have to pass nine competency tests.
From July 1, drivers will have to pass an English language test, as well prove their ability to identify local roads and attractions, and their ability to calculate fares.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said most taxi drivers provided a professional service but the measures would ensure all potential drivers were up to scratch.
Federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese said most taxi drivers provided a professional service but the measures would ensure all potential drivers were up to scratch.
"Certainly all of us have had the unfortunate experience of ... taxi drivers not knowing where an important location is," Mr Albanese told reporters.
"What we need to do is to make sure that across the board these national standards are applied.
"It's good for the industry, it's good for the broader economy as well in terms of tourists who rely upon taxis to get around and it's also important for everyday Australian residents who use taxis."
"What we need to do is to make sure that across the board these national standards are applied.
"It's good for the industry, it's good for the broader economy as well in terms of tourists who rely upon taxis to get around and it's also important for everyday Australian residents who use taxis."
It would be up to the states whether the new standards could be applied retrospectively to current drivers, he said.
Australian Taxi Industry Association chief executive Blair Davies said there should be discussions with regulators about retraining all drivers.
"One of our concerns is the focus of these reforms is purely on people coming into the industry and doesn't address issues that people might well have about the standard of drivers that are actually out there at the moment," Mr Davies told AAP.
He welcomed the standards but said the English test needed to be appropriate for drivers.
"One of our concerns is the focus of these reforms is purely on people coming into the industry and doesn't address issues that people might well have about the standard of drivers that are actually out there at the moment," Mr Davies told AAP.
He welcomed the standards but said the English test needed to be appropriate for drivers.
A spokeswoman for the NSW Taxi Council said similar standards were implemented in NSW in the mid 1990s and had been substantially improved since then.
The Council fears drivers will go to other states to get their licences and return to Sydney without the appropriate safety training.
The consequences of putting a driver on the road who has minimum training and little experience in Sydney could be very serious the spokeswoman said.
"And by that, I don't mean they're going to decide to quit, I mean they're going to get killed," she said.
"And by that, I don't mean they're going to decide to quit, I mean they're going to get killed," she said.
But Mr Albanese stressed that the new standards would stop so-called "jurisdiction shopping".
The transport ministers also agreed on single national regulators for trains, ships and heavy road vehicles.
Seven road safety experts have also been appointed to the National Road Safety Council, as well as four road safety ambassadors.
© 2009 AAP
Aspiring cab drivers must pass English test under new national standards
By Michael Harvey
Herald Sun
November 06, 2009 12:01am
© 2009 AAP
Aspiring cab drivers must pass English test under new national standards
By Michael Harvey
Herald Sun
November 06, 2009 12:01am
New drivers anywhere in Australia will also need to show they know local main roads and attractions / File
New national standards for taxi drivers
Must pass English language test
Must know main roads, major attractions
New national standards for taxi drivers
Must pass English language test
Must know main roads, major attractions
ASPIRING cabbies will need to pass an English language test before being allowed on the road, under new national minimum standards to be agreed today. In Victoria, would-be taxi drivers already face tough tests including an English assessment. But ministers say a national standard will close a loophole whereby would-be cabbies pass easier exams then return to "tough" states like Victoria and simply have their new accreditation transferred, the Herald Sun reports.Under the proposals, new drivers anywhere in Australia will also need to show they know local main roads and attractions that some existing drivers struggle to find. Competent use of wheelchair-accessible taxis and financial record-keeping will also figure in the tests.
Related Coverage
Find the right route, cabbiesCourier Mail, 6 Nov 2009
Cabbies must pass English testDaily Telegraph, 6 Nov 2009
Crackdown on cabbiesAdelaide Now, 13 Sep 2009
Clean up our cabsHerald Sun, 16 Aug 2009
New rules mean cabbies need experienceNEWS.com.au, 22 Jul 2009
Find the right route, cabbiesCourier Mail, 6 Nov 2009
Cabbies must pass English testDaily Telegraph, 6 Nov 2009
Crackdown on cabbiesAdelaide Now, 13 Sep 2009
Clean up our cabsHerald Sun, 16 Aug 2009
New rules mean cabbies need experienceNEWS.com.au, 22 Jul 2009
Your Say
1. It is against the law for cabbies to drive cabs unless they have had their full Australian Drivers License for at least 1 year. 2. Cabbies must ALWAYS take you the way YOU want ...
1. It is against the law for cabbies to drive cabs unless they have had their full Australian Drivers License for at least 1 year. 2. Cabbies must ALWAYS take you the way YOU want ...
Melissa of Queensland
In Sydney today, state and federal transport ministers will thrash out a national taxi driver competency plan, to apply from July 1. But the question of raising standards of those cabbies already established in the industry is not so simple. Some states fear an exodus of drivers if governments retrospectively enforce the new standard. This is particularly the case in Melbourne and Sydney. Both have driver shortages. "While the overwhelming majority of taxi drivers provide a first-class service, we need to make sure all drivers, no matter where in the country they're trained, have the skills required to do their job to the highest standards," federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese said. The Victorian Taxi Directorate requires new cabbies to complete a course that includes tests on English, customer service, financial transactions, record-keeping and identification of major roads. Under a "knowledge of Melbourne" test, applicants must correctly identify 40 out of 45 "places of interest" selected from a list of 100.
No comments:
Post a Comment