Australian airports are introducing a new law banning touting and queue jumping. This law was established after the State Government revealed that there had been an increase in the number of airport complaints.

Public transport minister Lynne Kosky stated that “Touting is unfair to honest taxi drivers and the passengers that use the established system.” Currently taxi drivers are reported to wait for up to an hour in the designated airport taxi ranks’ waiting for custom and not only is touting unfair to queuing taxi drivers, but it makes a terrible impression for arriving passengers.

Airport spokesman Geoff Conaghan stated that touts approaching customers are doing so illegally and he therefore welcomes the new laws. People caught breaking this law will face a significant fine, it had been reported that a man was fined $5,500 for jumping the queue at Melbourne airport. Melborune airport has the worst case of touting, as many passengers arriving at the airport are offered lifts illegally by unlicensed drivers.

The Victorian Government has hired 13 extra transport safety officers to assist in tackling the problem. There are approximately 15,000 taxi drivers in the Victorian state and there are only 36 on-road officers, according to the Opposition Transport spokesman, Terry Mulder, there is still not enough policing in the industry. It is hoped that these new touting laws will provide more authority to police and then they will be able to act more rapidly to law breaking drivers.