The Government and the Land Transport Safety Authority are investigating how a convicted child sex offender is allowed to drive for a Wellington taxi firm.
The unnamed man drives for Gold and Black taxis. He was convicted in 1991 on two charges of inducing or permitting a boy under 12 to
do an indecent act.
He has been working for Gold and Black for five years and was driving for another firm before that.
Transport Minister Mark Gosche said members of the public should not have to be driven around by a child sex offender. Industry vetting standards were not good enough and tighter controls were needed.
Mr Gosche is due to receive a report on the taxi industry from Ministry of Transport officials following a pre-Christmas meeting with industry representatives, the LTSA and police.
Gold and Black managing director Ian Gaskin could not be contacted yesterday, but has said earlier that he was unaware of the man's history when he employed him. He would not sack the man because he had not caused a problem.
Mr Gaskin said the LTSA had given the man a taxi licence for the past nine years, indicating he had not offended in that time and was rehabilitated.
He said he was confident the man was safe driving children.
The man, who has name suppression, is believed to be in the South Island and could not be contacted.
An LTSA spokesman said legislation governing the issuing of taxi licences was flexible and each application was dealt with on its merits.
The spokesman said the authority checked character references and considered time elapsed since any offences and whether there had been any rehabilitation. Taxi drivers on criminal charges were suspended from driving immediately and disqualified on conviction.
- NZPA
