Taxi and Uber levy for WA to be blocked by Opposition MPs

[HARDY]

A PROPOSED 10 per cent levy on taxi and ride-sharing trips in Western Australia may be blocked in the upper house after the Liberal opposition and some crossbenchers vowed to fight the controversial idea.

Under the Labor government’s plan, about $120 million raised from a four-year levy imposed on operators would be used to fund a voluntary taxi plate buy-back scheme.

But Opposition Leader Mike Nahan said on Thursday that while reform was necessary, the Liberal party would not support the levy.

“I know they promised the taxi industries great big amounts of compensation, but they never indicated they were going to put a tax on to fund it and they promised West Australians no new taxes,” he told reporters.

One Nation leader Colin Tincknell told AAP the party believed the approach in other states was better where $1 was added in each fare.

“The 10 per cent levy is way too much and the cost will ultimately be borne by the public as the drivers can’t afford it,” he said.

One Nation supports the other reforms.

Liberal Democrats MP Aaron Stonehouse will also oppose the levy, describing it as another broken election promise not to introduce or raise taxes.

The Nationals and Greens are waiting for a briefing from Transport Minister Rita Saffioti before making their final decisions.

Ms Saffioti dismissed claims of a broken promise and said further consultation was continuing.

She said if the levy was blocked it would be the end of the scheme and taxi plate owners would not get further compensation.

“If the Liberal party wants to walk away from small business owners ... then it’s up to them,” Ms Saffioti said.

“The buy-back is integral to the whole scheme.”

Ms Saffioti also claimed the Liberals were being hypocritical because some of their MPs had previously indicated support for a levy.