Australian Capital Territory
Road Transport (General) Independent Taxi Operator Exemption Declaration 2016 (No 1)
Disallowable instrument DI 2016-13
made under the  
Road Transport (General) Act 1999, section 13 (Power to exclude vehicles, persons or animals from road transport legislation)
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This instrument is made under section 13 of the Road Transport (General) Act 1999 (the Act) which allows the Minister to exclude vehicles, persons or animals from the operation of the road transport legislation, or a provision of that legislation, by disallowable instrument. 

Under section 13 (1) of the Act, an exclusion operates in the circumstances and/or places declared in the instrument.

The current Disallowable Instrument, DI2015-26 - Road Transport (General) Independent Taxi Operator Exemption Declaration 2015 (No 1) exempts previously approved participants who operated in the Independent Taxi Operator Pilot (ITOP), from certain provisions of the legislative requirements for taxi service operators to allow them to continue operating under the existing arrangements.  This instrument is due to expire on 1 March 2016.
The Taxi Innovation Review considered the temporary nature of the ITOP and has recommended that independent taxis become a permanent transport service and be incorporated into the legislative amendments arising from the Review.  
When the current extension of the ITOP expires on 1 March 2016 the ITOP participants will not be able to continue to operate their taxis unless the pilot is extended for a further period up until such time as the independent taxi operators are given permanent status under statute as is intended by the Taxi Innovation Review.
As the commencement date this year of the proposed taxi reforms is still to be determined, this instrument extends the ITOP under current regulatory arrangements from 1 March 2016 until 31 December 2016 to ensure legal coverage for ITOP participants.  
Should the taxi reforms commence before 31 December 2016, this instrument will be revoked.