MOTOR VEHICLES (MISCELLANEOUS) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 17 October 2007. Page 975.)

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (20:21): As with the other bills I have spoken on this evening, we support the second reading of this bill. Indeed, there is little doubt that the most significant aspect of this bill is found in clause 15, which contains the provisions for service of licence disqualification notices. The bill removes a loophole where drivers who have been disqualified via demerit points can avoid conviction by claiming that the notice was not received. Family First has raised concerns regarding this loophole on a number of occasions.

Indeed, I asked a question without notice about this very issue on 28 September last year in this place where I referred to the loophole and also to The Advertiser article of 1 January 2006, which reported that almost one-third of motorists responsible for fatal car crashes in 2005 were—or previously had been—disqualified from driving. In essence, these people are poor drivers. They are responsible for disproportional levels of injury and death on our roads, and there definitely should not be any loopholes to give them an excuse if they are found behind the wheel.

I think that this bill will increase safety on South Australia's roads, and I commend the minister for introducing it. I think that even non-Labor members acknowledge that the minister is quite determined to improve road safety. She has been responsive to the concerns raised by Family First on this issue in the past and, as I said, we commend her for that. We support this bill.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (20:23): I would like to thank honourable members for their contribution and acknowledge the concerns of members in relation to seeing recidivist drivers off our roads. I thank the Hon. Dennis Hood for his comments. As we have heard, the bill will close licensing loopholes and correct administrative anomalies in the legislation. It is estimated that there are probably around 1,500 to 2,000 recidivist or repeat offenders who continue to drive while disqualified. This bill will allow steps to be taken to address this. At present, these loopholes reduce the deterrent effect of licence disqualifications under the demerit points and the graduated licensing scheme, as repeat offenders are able to use these loopholes to avoid the imposition of sanctions that were originally intended by the parliament. It certainly was never the intention of the parliament for these loopholes to exist. This bill closes off these avenues for offenders to avoid the intended penalties.

I understand that the opposition has a number of amendments that the government will respond to during the committee stage next time we deal with this legislation. At this stage, the government opposes all but one of the amendments proposed by the opposition. Again, I thank honourable members for their contributions.

Bill read a second time.