1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: I read this article this morning calls for a national 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: taxi scheme. It's in the Advertiser and it involves singer 3 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: Rachel leaka Loving for a national disability taxi scheme after 4 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,479 Speaker 1: forced to pay a full price fair for a cab 5 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 1: ride despite having a subsidy voucher. But it seems those vouchers. 6 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:25,079 Speaker 1: I'm surprised we don't have a national scheme already. This 7 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,400 Speaker 1: makes perfect sense. Those vouchers are state by state, and 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: she was interstate and the cabby refused to accept the voucher. 9 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: As you know, Rachel suffers an eye condition, has a 10 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: guide dog and has had for many years. Rachel Leaca, 11 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,240 Speaker 1: good morning, Good morning, Matthew, thank you for coming on. 12 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 1: So tell me what happened in Brisbane. This was only recently, 13 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:46,879 Speaker 1: I understand. 14 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 2: Yeah, ironically, I'm actually in Brisbane foo flying Australian of 15 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 2: the Year to perform for that. But yeah, So originally 16 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: there were paper vouchers, but in a few years ago 17 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:04,039 Speaker 2: so cards were introduced and that is state by state. 18 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,240 Speaker 2: So in South Australia, people with disabilities get fifty percent 19 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: of taxi rides if they use this card, but you 20 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:15,279 Speaker 2: have to order paper vouchers if you ever go into state. 21 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:18,959 Speaker 2: So that's what I did. I called the South Australian 22 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 2: taxi subsidy scheme and I said, oh, I've got these 23 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,480 Speaker 2: interstate vouchers. Are they still valid? And they confirmed for 24 00:01:25,560 --> 00:01:30,319 Speaker 2: me yes, But yeah, unfortunately when I travel into state, 25 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 2: there's because these taxi drivers are only familiar with the cards, 26 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 2: they say they can't accept them or they're not valid anymore. 27 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 2: But it's just not true. 28 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: Okay, so education on that front. But why doesn't a 29 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: national scheme exist? So it just should That's a. 30 00:01:48,400 --> 00:01:52,240 Speaker 2: Good question, Matthew. I really don't know, I guess because 31 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 2: each state has their own specific system. But I'm going 32 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 2: to have to do some more research into it and 33 00:01:59,280 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 2: find out if if we can even if we can 34 00:02:01,520 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 2: put the power back in the hands of the people 35 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: with disability, so if we can go back and claim 36 00:02:06,680 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 2: the discount ourselves, that would avoid the arguments as well. Yeah, 37 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 2: I really it would be a national card with a 38 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 2: chip in it to work on every system. 39 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, absolutely, and that's just the way it should be. 40 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 1: So what would happen here if somebody arrived from interstate? 41 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,800 Speaker 1: If it was the reverse and somebody came to South Australia. 42 00:02:28,360 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: Do kabbis here and know to accept the paper version 43 00:02:31,240 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: of whatever they would have interstate? 44 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 2: Unfortunately, I don't believe they would. I don't believe there's 45 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 2: enough education on the matter. For taxi drivers. I don't 46 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 2: think they do it knowingly. I think they just look 47 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: at the voucher and they go, oh, this is outdated. 48 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: You have to use cards. But yeah, unfortunately, because they 49 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,559 Speaker 2: don't work into state, it's very frustrating. 50 00:02:54,919 --> 00:02:59,120 Speaker 1: So we're in exactly the same boat. Somebody visiting us 51 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: would be treated the same. 52 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,880 Speaker 2: Why you were, That's right as far as I'm aware, 53 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: each state, like every person from each state, will have 54 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 2: to order these paper vouchers to use in the state. 55 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 2: So yeah, there needs to be a national card. 56 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: So education is one thing for drivers. I'm surprised there 57 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: are issues with Uber drivers and guide dogs still you're 58 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:21,920 Speaker 1: finding that. 59 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:27,040 Speaker 2: I understand, Yes, absolutely, Unfortunately that is a constant argument 60 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: with them as well. That's probably a separate issue because 61 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:34,600 Speaker 2: these taxi vouchers and the subsidy scheme doesn't work with 62 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 2: ride sharing, they're not eligible for that. Plus, when I'm 63 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,480 Speaker 2: traveling with my baby, it's also illegal to hold a 64 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 2: baby on the lap of a person in an uber, 65 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,960 Speaker 2: but not a taxi. But yes, every time I seem 66 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:51,440 Speaker 2: to order an uber or a lift or anything, I'm 67 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:54,840 Speaker 2: met with an argument about the guide dog, even though 68 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,320 Speaker 2: I do have access rights and they've already agreed to 69 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 2: take the guide dogs in their policies. So yeah, it's 70 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:06,000 Speaker 2: just a constant panelist with Transport. 71 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: Rachel, that's terrible. Have you spoken to the Taxi Council 72 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:12,640 Speaker 1: here in the first instance yet or are you planning 73 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: to do that. 74 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: I will definitely follow it up with the Taxi Council 75 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: as well as the SA taxi subsidy scheme, just to 76 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,200 Speaker 2: see what we can work out, if we can have 77 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,239 Speaker 2: some meetings and see what we can get done. 78 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, and I'm sure that. 79 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:30,279 Speaker 2: I know it's a common problem. I've been talking to 80 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,200 Speaker 2: some other people about it, and everyone's nodding their head 81 00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:36,239 Speaker 2: with bigger because it just keeps happening. 82 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, and that's not good. I mean, in this day 83 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:41,000 Speaker 1: and age, issues like that should not well, they shouldn't 84 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: be issues to start with in twenty twenty four, not anymore. 85 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 1: We can maybe set up a chat with Tom Kutz 86 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,240 Speaker 1: and Tonis as well the Transport minister because this would 87 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: be very much within his portfolio and some national lobbying 88 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: in this area would not go astray I. 89 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 2: Suspect absolutely would love to chat further to him. 90 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, this needs to change, no doubt about it. Rachel, 91 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:06,600 Speaker 1: appreciate you coming on. 92 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,280 Speaker 2: Thank you, thank you so much for having me on. 93 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 1: Matthew Rachel LEACA on a call for a national taxi 94 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: scheme which for people with disabilities to have the same 95 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:22,880 Speaker 1: system that operates in each state, because there's no point 96 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: having to take a paper voucher because our card won't 97 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:29,159 Speaker 1: work into state and then having the cabbies into states 98 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 1: say no, we need a card and it's got to 99 00:05:31,240 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: be a card for our state. That's not how the 100 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:37,599 Speaker 1: system is currently designed to work, and it surely could 101 00:05:37,640 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: work a lot better than it does. So one for 102 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:43,440 Speaker 1: John Traynor and certainly Tom kuts and Tonis as a 103 00:05:43,480 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: Transport minister, to have a look at an address because 104 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: that is that is pretty fundamental to the rights of 105 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,600 Speaker 1: people with disabilities to be treated the same way as 106 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: anyone else, and that's what it's all about.