Brisbane's Indian origin taxi drivers hold emergency meeting on licensing laws

Brisbane (Australia), May 8 (ANI): Indian origin taxi drivers have held an emergency meeting here to discuss a proposal to demand that the Queensland Government tighten its licensing laws to prevent new drivers from receiving a taxi permit until they have lived in Australia for one year.

The demand follows The Courier-Mail's findings that drivers from overseas were gaining open Queensland licences without proof they had driven a car in their homeland.

The Transport Department has admitted it does not check the validity of foreign documents used to obtain Queensland licences, despite warnings of a black market in fake credentials.

More than 25 Indian drivers, including many who have driven cabs in Brisbane for at least a decade, gathered to discuss their plight on Wednesday night.

The Courier Mail quoted driver Manjit Boparai as saying that new drivers did not understand Australian service standards and needed a year in the country to learn the ropes.

"Their standard is more like a 'who cares' attitude and they have to learn that that's not acceptable here," Boparai said.

"It's really starting to hurt the drivers who have been here for a long time. We have a proud Indian community who have been in cabs here for a long time. We have mastered the business," he added. (ANI)