Implementation ACT Working Group Survey of Taxi Plate Owners – Survey Form attached
To all ACTTPOA members,
The above attached re-drafted Survey for taxi plate owners has been received again from Government.
Having received some reaction and responses from owners to the Survey last sent out just a few short weeks ago I was hesitant to send it out again. In fact I conveyed to government at that time that the questions posed them (and again now) were /are intrusive , personal and totally irrelevant to our cause and the government’s consideration of it.
I also pointed out that this survey should not be associated at all with the question of the Minister’s previously announced “quarterly programed release of ten (10) plates” commencing in March 2017 and ending March 2018. Data justifying any release of taxi plates must be the only prerequisite.
In discussing these matters I pointed out that taxi plate owners are only interested in our incomes from our lease fees and the valuation of our taxi plates. It was emphasised that while the has been no significant drop in our incomes from reduced lease fees our major concerns have been the total devaluation of our taxi plates. Attention was drawn to our submission to the Minister during April and our proposal for there to be a “Partial Buy-back “ of taxi plates so that a value could be restored those to fewer perpetually owned taxi plates remaining in the industry. I urged their attention be turned to the determination of taxi plate values bearing in mind that we aim to enter negotiations for a partial buy-back before the end of their “monitoring period” namely November this year (2017). Thus I suggested that a survey embracing values of plates to owners and their indebtedness they may still have would be more appropriate that that Survey redrafted and now sent out.
Having pointed out the reluctance of owners to answer most of the 18 questions in the survey I was told that it would be acceptable for owners to answer ONLY THOSE QUESTIONS THAT THEY WERE HAPPY TO ANSWER! I thought this strange and questioned the value of such an exercise. I was told that they were motivated to gain an understanding of the personal impact the arrival of UBER and changes to government policies have had upon each owner gleaning their personal circumstances. I pointed out if that’s what they want to do then they should pull out all the representations that have been made to government members and Ministers since October 2015 and go through them tabulating the type of personal impacts that they conveyed and to which they were given paltry replies.
To return to the survey attached. We would ask all members to examine it and respond TO ONLY THOSE QUESTIONS THEY ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER. Upon doing so we would ask members to return the forms to either Kathy Schlegel or me as soon as possible. Responses outlining an intention NOT to answer any questions should also be sent or emailed to us. Your anonymity and privacy will be maintained throughout the entire exercise. Keep completed surveys forms as unidentified as possible.
Responses by our AGM on 22 JULY MOST appreciated. BRING THE FORMS WITH YOU TO THE AGM FOR COMPLETION THEN IF NEEDS BE.
Our AGM will be conducted from 12 noon, on Saturday 22 July, in the “Gungahlin Room” of the Ainslie Football club, 52 Wakefield Avenue Ainslie.
Phil Button
Chairman
ACTTPOA
PH 02 6251 5108
