By Maggie Tait of NZPA

Wellington, Feb 10 NZPA - The head of the company which slain taxi driver Hiren Mohini worked for says the time has come for compulsory safety features in cabs.

This morning, following a meeting with taxi industry representatives, Transport Minister Steven Joyce said the Government intended to make features compulsory and options including cameras, screens and alarms were being considered.

Auckland Co-op general manager Barry White has 860 cabs in his company. He said drivers were scared by the latest death and anxious for a decision.

Mr Mohini, 39, was stabbed to death in his cab last week.

"We are at the point now where we just have to do something. It was a needless violent act that shouldn't happen to a bloke who is just out earning a living for his family," Mr White said.

"We've given a commitment to our membership that regardless of the decision that's made by the minister that if screens aren't mandatory but if our members want them then as a company we will support the voluntary introduction to those guys that want them."

About 350 of his drivers regularly worked at night and 48 had requested screens.

Mr Joyce said the time had come where the industry wanted government to act. In the past it had resisted costly measures and said safety features should be voluntary.

"There's been quite a shift in the attitude of drivers and owners of cars as a result of recent events that we need to now move pretty quickly on mandating a safety option."

New Zealand Taxi Federation executive director Tim Reddish said: "I think there's a realisation that I could be next. That's really what's brought it home. Cab drivers have for a long time been in denial that it could actually happen to them."

There are about 7000 cabs operating in New Zealand. Costs for safety measures would be passed onto customers -- and a ballpark figure of about 30 cents a trip has been suggested.

Mr Joyce said decisions were yet to be made but taxi companies preferred the camera option, which would cost more than $1000, which had been successful in Australia.

"It's sad for the country, but that's a reality that the industry has to deal with and myself as minister."

Mr Joyce said the industry understood the Government would not pay for the cameras or screens as it did not pay for safety measures in other workplaces.

Whether all taxis would be affected -- or just those who worked at night or those who worked in provincial centres -- would be part of considerations.

"Because it's a significant decision for the industry we are going to take a little bit of time, but only a short period of time, to assess the experience particularly in Australian jurisdictions as to the effectiveness of the different measures that are being added there. And then make a call."

The New Zealand Transport Agency and Ministry of Transport were working on a report which would be ready within four weeks.

"I think probably the consensus would be...in favour of cameras. But I want to be sure on the evidence that we have from other jurisdictions that would be the most likely to be effective option before we proceed."

He said mandating could be done by a rule change rather than new legislation. It was necessary to mandate because otherwise companies that did make efforts to protect their drivers would face a commercial disadvantage compared to those who did not bother.

A penalty regime would be set up for those who did not comply.

Mr Reddish said that in Australia screens had caused problems with comfort and communication and cameras had been much more popular.

In Queensland assaults on drivers had reduced 75 percent since installation.