Denmark - Plantagenet edition
No. 1 | 4 April 2019
We acknowledge the Noongar peoples who are the traditional custodians of the country from which we report.
Taxi pulls out of town CHRIS THOMSON DENMARK, long a haven for foodies, breweries, wineries and retirees, no longer has a taxi service. The shire’s only taxi operator, Serina Maciaszek, shut up shop for good on Sunday. She told The Voice of the South her clients had been “fantastic” and had not been “just passengers” but “friends”. Until Sunday, she had run Denmark Taxi for 11 years. Her 2012 Toyota Aurion cab had done 210,000kms. She is now out of work and looking for a job. A Department of Transport spokesperson said the Department offered to help Denmark Taxi prepare for the transition to operate under new taxi laws set to be fully implemented in 2020. “Unfortunately, the offers were not accepted,” the spokesperson said. “DoT is in discussion with the local Chamber of Commerce about services in Denmark, noting the importance to the more vulnerable members of the community. “DoT will work with the local government and community stakeholders to identify the
Dynamic duo BROTHER and sister football aces Jesse and Parris Laurie caught up exclusively with The Voice of the South during the pair’s first visit to Denmark since Parris competed in the AFLW finals for the Dockers. More on page 3 ...
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requirement for, and options for alternative services.” Denmark Chamber of Commerce CEO Liz Jack said she was concerned the taxi’s departure would affect the shire’s high-profile hospitality and tourism industry. “It’s also going to affect the aged care sector because a lot of older people use taxis to get into town,” she said. “There’s quite a few people that are going to find this an impost and there isn’t any shortterm solution at this point.” Ms Jack said the Chamber had approached charter operators to see if they might pick up the service. She is also gauging interest from Denmark locals in holding a public meeting on the issue. Under the new laws, from July, taxi operators from Albany and other nearby areas will be allowed to service Denmark. Plantagenet Taxi owner Marlene Maher said while business could be better in Mount Barker, she had no plans to close her business, or to expand into Denmark. “It’s borderline, but we care about this community and I fill a pretty important gap here, transport-wise and the potential to develop it down the track into
something a little bit different is quite good,” she said. “We do airport runs, and hospital runs and all sorts of things. “We fill the gap between private transport and transport provided by the various care giver organisations, and offer concessions for the elderly so they can use it a bit more.” Ms Maher, the sole taxi operator in Plantagenet, has one cab and one charter car, both Ford Falcon wagons. She says she does not do many jobs to Plantagenet’s well-known wineries. “But that is one of the potential developments for a company like mine,” she said. Plantagenet has had a taxi for three decades and Ms Maher has run the service for the past five years. “It’s seven-days-aweek from six in the morning to nine at night during the week and Sunday, and then Friday nights and Saturday nights until two in the morning or until everything dies down,” she said. “There’s a little bit of a funny attitude toward taxis sometimes too, you know. “People will still drink and drive and risk everything but won’t fork out $15 for a taxi fare.”
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