From the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-30/uber-launches-in-canberra/6898514
Updated 30 Oct 2015, 2:38pm
Uber X was launched in the ACT on Friday, with Canberra becoming the first city in Australia to regulate ride sharing. On Thursday, the ACT Government passed legislation to allow ride share services, like Uber, to operate in the Territory. As of 12:00pm Friday, Canberrans were be able to catch a lift with the service.
Uber's Australian general manager David Rohrsheim told 666 ABC's Canberra's Philip Clark that there were about 100 approved Uber drivers in Canberra who were ready to work. He said Canberra's new regulations enshrined in law what his company has already been doing in most other states and territories. "They (the ACT Government) put in place regulations around background checks, vehicle inspections and insurance, all of which we've had from day one," he said. "And now that's the law in Canberra." He congratulated the ACT Government on its approach to ride sharing. "What the Chief Minister has done here is actually taken a look at opportunities, not just to open up to new things like ride sharing... but also how can they improve options for the taxi industry," he said. "They've actually lowered a lot of the fees and the red tape ... and actually made it easier for people to launch taxi apps. "So I think you'll see a whole bunch of innovation inside the taxi sector. And it will always be another choice to help you get around."