An annual booked hire fee already exists! Why is the proposed fee ride booking fee so low?

​There is precedent that is being ignored. A Special Purpose Limousine Licence is currently an annual booked hire licence. It has been in place since 2007 and the current annual fee is $2480.80.​

The Special Purpose Limousine Licence is being phased out in the proposed reforms. Minister Bailey stated in his speech introducing this Bill, “Special-purpose limousines, which are annual licences, will be phased out over the next three years given that the new booked hire service licence will effectively take their place.”The Explanatory notes on the draft legislation state:
pg 19 “ provides for special purpose limousine licences to be phased out in the future given they are an annual licence that is substantially similar to the new booked hire service licence.”

pg 5 “However, these are annual licences similar to the new booked hire service licences, which effectively permit the holder to provide the same services for the same term as the holder of a new booked hire service licence.” and “The ability of holders of these licences to provide booked hire services will not be materially impacted as they will continue to be able to do so under a booked hire service licence.”

The proposed booked hire annual fee is less than 10% of the current annual booked hire service. The Special Purpose Limousine Licence is a highly restricted licence and given that the new booked hire annual licence is more flexible, it would make sense for the new annual fee to be equal to or higher than the existing one.
 
Limousine Licence Owners paid up to $150 000 for their licence. Taxi Licence Owners have paid in excess of $500 000. Both Taxi and Limousines are required to pay an annual renewal fee of $171.40 per licence. The proposed booked hire annual licence fee is only $65.86 more than a Limousine renewal fee.

Minister Bailey stated, “the overarching objective of these reforms is to provide a fairer playing field across the whole personalised transport industry.”
 
To achieve Minister Bailey’s objective, the Limo Action Group (Queensland) recommend a fully independent review of the pricing structure and ask the committee to question if the ACCC should be involved in the process.