[ljf]

I can't say I had lots of experience with taxi in Australia, but after getting cabs on the on the east coast, then moving to Sydney in the late 90s - the difference was amazing. Cabs everywhere, arrived quickly, could pay by card (EFTPOS was pretty new out there then, but seemed heaps better than the UK) - and I could easily get cash back (essentially a cash withdrawal) from the taxi driver when I paid my fare.

I'd rarely got cabs in the UK, but a similar journey in Sydney would be the same in AU$ as it was in GB£ - at the time it was 2 dollars to the pound too.