Removal of Cabcharge Decals from Taxis

Faruque Ahmed
P O Box – 349
Alexandria – 2015
Mobile: 041 091 4118
Thursday, November 29, 2007

Mr. Graeme Samuel
Australian Competition & Consumer Commission
GPO Box 3131
CANBERRA ACT 2601
Ph: 02 6243 1244Fax: 02 6243 1210

Email: foi@accc.gov.au

Re: Removal of Cabcharge Decals from Taxis

Dear Mr. Samuel,

I request that the ACCC move to take action forcing requirement that taxi entities be compelled to remove from surface areas of taxi cabs, decals proclaiming and advertising Cabcharge products.

Originally taxi cooperatives (not taxi companies or networks) obtained "the authorisation in contention" to subject workers in the taxi cab industry to perform for Cabcharge from the then Trades Practices Commission by not telling the truth, twisting the truth and using racism. Ultimately, the original applicants, specifically the Red and Yellow Deluxe have used many false claims "for their own narrow benefit" with impunity.

Fortunately this issue was largely dealt with to my satisfaction in TPC in matterA30152.

Since then, we have been asking the ACCC and other relevant departments to remove the Authorization A30112. Surprisingly, they are very reluctant about it.

Finally, in Matter No - 3 of 2005 of the Australian Competition Tribunal, Justice Goldberg and three other eminent Judges revoked the contentious authorization which gave the Cabcharge the “exclusive power” and “monopoly” in the first place. It is interesting to note that during the proceeding neither the taxi network nor the Cabcharge made representation as to the (their) case.

The fact is, the then TPC then made a mistake back in 1984- since then the Federal Competition Tribunal corrected the anomaly.

The ACCC used it’s power, authority and creativity to compel all taxi owners of this country to display the Cabcharge decals and therefore accept the Cabcharge cards and dockets.

Now, the ACCC must do everything to remove the Cabcharge decals from all taxis as they are false advertisement and NOT legally required in the first place.

With thanks


Faruque Ahmed