Media Release
4/19/2017
Taxi Council Queensland (TCQ) has labelled reports that uber is helping unemployed people, “nothing more than PR spin” and has expressed surprise that the media is not fact-checking the claims.
TCQ chief executive officer Benjamin Wash says the multinational that refuses to pay GST or tax in Australia is actually exploiting unemployed and vulnerable people, as their drivers mostly earn well below the minimum wage.
“Uber’s business model is based on drivers making very little money and paying for all of their costs out of their own pocket.
“You only need to look at numerous rideshare drivers’ online forums to see how disgruntled the majority of drivers are with their pay and conditions, and how they feel betrayed by the deception.”
Mr Wash explained that the maths simply don’t add up.
“When you take a lower fare and factor in 25 per cent for uber, GST – and the driver pays even the company’s share – fuel and other associated expenses, there simply is no profit.
“They use lies to attract desperate people, and rely on a huge turnover of drivers to keep the company operational.
“And remember there is not even a camera or other safety structures to protect their drivers.”
He said when rideshare first hit the market, some taxi drivers were lured by the promises but they soon returned disheartened, when the talk of big money turned out to be a mirage.
“Uber pays some drivers to spread their campaign of misinformation so that they can exploit more people.”
The Taxi Council has embarked on a state-wide campaign to “bring common sense back to the personalised transport sector” and has called on all MPs to support 20 key points.
One of the points includes “minimum work conditions and standards for all personalised transport drivers enshrined in legislation.”
“The State Government has caused this mess, and it’s time for common sense to prevail.”
ENDS