At the time the Canberra Taxi Industry Association was able to demonstrate that market conditions had led to the surrender of those licences, that operator and driver income had fallen considerably since the arrival of ride-hail services, and that service delivery had been maintained at a far higher level than had previously been considered satisfactory.

At a meeting in March 2017, Minister for Business and Regulatory Services Gordon Ramsay and a number of his officers assured association representatives that the proposed reissue of licences had nothing to do with an intention to subsequently force down the lease fees of the perpetual licences held by members of the public.

Despite the assurance of Mr Ramsay and his officers, a government paper released late last year, but prepared during 2017, and which referred to the on-demand transport industry reforms of 2015, suggested lease fees paid to perpetual licences holders were one of the main impediments to a profitable existence for taxi operators.

The initial lease fee for government owned taxi licences (around 2007) was $20,000 a year, about 10 per cent lower than the then going rate, but a reasonable return for the lease of a reasonably good business. And a reasonable return to the taxpayer, the owner of the business.

But then in 2015 ride-hailing was approved and the lease fee for a government licence was arbitrarily dropped to $10,000, and then to $5000 12 months later. Poorer business, poorer return to taxpayer.

Meanwhile, the taxi service delivery has been maintained at its high level, perpetual lease fees have dropped to around $10,000 (and less) and more than 20 perpetual licences are “on-the-shelf”, their owners in many cases being too old to drive or operate a taxi.

The government released 15 leased licences in November (after promising 30).

It is not known by the taxi industry association how many of the 15 licences are actually on the road, but the intention to issue or reissue 30 government-owned licences can only force more perpetual licences off the road, forcing many who worked hard to self-fund their retirement on to the age pension and make it harder for taxi networks to set and maintain standards for cars and drivers.

What grudge does this Barr government hold for the taxi industry? Why did it ignore previous requests from the industry to work with it? Why would any administration release extra taxi licences when around 50 licences (government and private) are on the shelf, and when ranking space in town centres is so difficult to find? Why does it continue to make decisions that impact the taxi industry without proper consultation with the industry itself?

The government has been provided with figures that show it is the shortage of work, rather than the existence of legitimate costs that is detrimental to drivers and operators, and that their hardship has been brought about by the loss of only a few trips per car a day.

A reduction in lease fees has been referred to as a “levelling of the playing field” with regard to Uber and other ride-hail operators. But in reality, if the government deliberately pushes the holders of perpetual taxi licences out of business by leasing a government asset for less than the taxpayer is entitled to expect, it will later be able to raise those fees by the same way it raises fees and taxes for other government assets such as footpath space (28 per cent in six years), land tax, and for space for volunteer groups and others at public events.

The taxi industry has always said that it welcomes competition, and provided competition is fair, looks forward to a more certain future. Unfortunately the actions of this Barr government appear to be aimed at destroying the industry.

The taxi industry realises that the novelty of Uber and others has captured the attention of a certain segment of the once taxi market, and maybe even increased on-demand transport industry work to a small extent, but suggests that prospective passengers pay more attention to fare comparisons from now on and understand that in 2017 Uber grossed $45 billion worldwide, but had a net loss of $5 billion. This suggests that just to break even in the year it hopes to go public, Uber needs to raise its fares by at least 10 per cent, and that any perceived benefit from their presence may turn out to be illusory.

Mr Ramsay and his advisers claimed to have had no plan to push out perpetual licence holders. The figures that have been provided to them demonstrate the drop in income to the industry over the past three years, and the surrendered licences demonstrate the effects on owners, drivers and operators.

This government does not seem to realise the importance of a viable taxi industry to a city.

It is a vital part of public transport, available 24 hours a day. Ride-hail’s role has proven to be more as a smoother of peaks, but its drivers are only there when it suits them.

It is somewhat galling to see a Labor government, supposedly in existence to see that workers receive a fair go, fall for a scheme that sees Australian workers virtually pushed to bankruptcy and out of business whilst a foreign buccaneer skims money out of our community for what might be no good reason.

If the taxi industry was to fail in Canberra, watch out for unfettered price increases from unregulated ride-hailing companies.

Since 2015, the taxi industry has been involved in many “consultation” efforts with government policy makers.

Consultation seems to be part of the process. It apparently has nothing to do with the “plan”.

John McKeough is the chairman of the Canberra Taxi Industry Association.