South Eastern Freeway

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (15:16): My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport. In relation to the South Eastern Freeway truck and bus laws, how many people were subject to wrongly applied first, second and subsequent offence penalties, and how many of these have been corrected? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

Ms BEDFORD: Since December 2019, a first offence against the South Eastern Freeway law has not attracted disqualification of licence. The Registrar of Motor Vehicles agreed, on 12 April 2021, that they had misinterpreted the first, second and subsequent offence provisions as, under section 81BC of the Motor Vehicle Act, they should be considered a first offence.

My concern is that some of my constituents who sought legal advice before expiation and addressed the incorrect actions of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles were able to have their disqualified licence reinstated, even though they suffered longer periods of suspension then was legally necessary. However, more broadly my concern is for the many other people who expiated their fines and have consequently been similarly wrongly penalised without their knowledge and without any action being taken to reinstate their licence.

The Hon. C.L. WINGARD (Gibson—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:17): I think I got that; I won't ask the member to repeat the question. I have to say that I think the member will find that is a matter for the police commissioner, so I will happily take that on notice and get a response back to the member.