Responding to Steve Joyce's announcement today that surveillance cameras in taxis would soon be made compulsory, Libertarianz Business Spokesman Luke Howison said, "This is yet another pointless, costly government imposition which defies common sense."

"Taxi drivers are already free to install cameras in their cabs if they think it will make them safer. Requiring all city cabs to have cameras, regardless of their circumstances, smacks of Nanny State."

"Like many regulations, the scheme is 'one-size-fits-nobody'. For example, cameras will be a pointless expense for drivers who only work during the day. Where is a Treasury cost-benefit analysis when we need one?"

"There is also the undiscussed issue of who is going to police the taxi drivers to ensure they have these compulsory cameras, check that they work correctly, and, of course, punish drivers who choose not to install them. Will there be a list of approved cameras which have been vetted for reliability, image quality and carbon footprint? All this bureaucratic nonsense is totally objectionable."

"Libertarianz believes taxi drivers and taxi companies should be free to install cameras - or not - as they see fit. This government decree is offensive to freedom and common sense."

Mr Howison also noted that taxi drivers, like dairy owners, should be free to defend themselves from attackers with reasonable force.

"It's enough to make you vote Libertarianz!"

For more information, please contact:

Luke Howison
Libertarianz Spokesman
Phone: 027 314 3007
Email: luke.howison@libertarianz.org.nz

Libertarianz: More Freedom, Less Government
www.libertarianz.org.nz