Today, we welcome Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance’s establishment of an independent taskforce to review the future of the taxi and ridesharing industries in NSW.

Led by Professor Gary Sturgess AM, the taskforce will work with both consumers and stakeholders from the taxi and ridesharing industries to consider changes to transport regulations that would better reflect advances in technology and the rapidly changing ways in which Australians are choosing to get around their cities.

Today’s announcement is a victory for competition, consumers and choice. The announcement is a recognition of the overwhelming popular support for ridesharing, and the need for outdated regulation to catch up with changing customer choices.

Minister Constance and the NSW Government now join NSW Labor, the NSW Greens, and a chorus of voices across the country, in bipartisan support of the need to introduce sensible ridesharing regulations that put the interests of everyday Australians above a small but vocal minority of industry incumbents and taxi plate owners.

Hundreds of thousands of Sydneysiders now rely on Uber ridesharing as a safe, reliable and affordable way to get around their city. They join thousands of Sydney drivers who depend on the Uber platform for flexible and reliable income. This, coupled with reducing incidents of drink driving, increasing efficiency, and lowering congestion, mean that the positive impact of ridesharing is real, and will only grow stronger.

Uber will be actively involved in this process. We’re calling on riders and drivers to make their voice heard, and ensure that the Government knows that ridesharing is here to stay.