VIP Hire Car Services
Through COMCAR, Finance provides VIP car-with-driver services to a wide range of clients including federal Parliamentarians, the federal judiciary, holders of high public office and official guests of the Australian Government.
Finance supported a number of VIP visits during 2008-09. From 13 to 21 July 2008, COMCAR provided transport for the visit of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, to Sydney for World Youth Day celebrations. COMCAR provided transport for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Structural Reform meeting held in Melbourne from 3 to 5 August 2008 and, on 21 and 22 February 2009, COMCAR provided transport to the Princess Royal who represented the Queen at the memorial service for the victims of the Victorian bushfires. COMCAR also supported the King and Queen of Spain’s visit to Canberra and Sydney between 24 and 27 June 2009.
During the year, COMCAR supported COAG meetings held in Sydney, Perth, Canberra and Hobart, supplying transport to the Prime Minister, state premiers and the Australian Government ministers attending these forums. COMCAR supplied buses and car-with-driver services for the eight Community Cabinet meetings held during the year, in Darwin (Northern Territory), Corio (Victoria), Launceston (Tasmania), Ballajura (Western Australia), Emerald (Victoria), Hallett Cove (South Australia), Campbelltown (New South Wales) and Beenleigh (Queensland).
Finance negotiated a new COMCAR Drivers’ Collective Agreement with the Transport Workers’ Union and the Community and Public Service Union during 2008-09, which took effect on 18 May 2009. The productivity case for the agreement was based on commitments to technological and environmental improvements, as well as enhancements to drivers’ work practices and utilisation. The agreement means that drivers in the COMCAR workforce now have a uniform set of conditions and work practices.
Last year’s annual report noted that Finance had conducted a successful trial of Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles to assess their suitability for use on the Parliamentary Shuttle in Canberra. In January 2009, the department included four Toyota Prius hybrid vehicles in the COMCAR fleet. Finance continues to assess the preferences of COMCAR clients and to monitor the development of Australian-made energy efficient and hybrid vehicles to assess their suitability for future use.