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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2010-09-30 Daily Xml
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SPOONER, MR NEIL

Mr GOLDSWORTHY (Kavel) (15:11): My question is to the Minister for Road Safety. Why has the Registrar of Motor Vehicles not used his powers under section 80 of the Motor Vehicles Act to review and cancel the driving licence of Mr Neil Spooner, as requested by the Commissioner for Police? On 1 June 2006, Daniel Raphael was killed in an accident involving Mr Neil Spooner. In spite of a request from the Commissioner for Police, Mr Spooner's licence has not been reviewed. The opposition has been informed that since this fatal accident Mr Spooner has been involved in two further traffic incidents.

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (15:12): I have a few things to say in response to that. Firstly, the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, with regard to what he does regarding licensing, quite appropriately, does not operate under my direction. He holds an independent statutory office, so it would be entirely inappropriate for me to attempt to direct the registrar in any way with regard to—

Mr Goldsworthy interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The question was: why has the Registrar of Motor Vehicles not undertaken a particular action? I am simply explaining that the Registrar of Motor Vehicles, with regard to licensing matters, does not operate under my direction.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: If the member for Kavel was listening to my ministerial statement yesterday, we have—

Mr Goldsworthy interjecting:

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: No, it is not different. As of today, I think, changes have been gazetted, changes with regard to the fitness to drive standards for commercial vehicle drivers.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The Easter Island statue opposite from me has come to life during question time today and it is wonderful to see, but if he listens he might learn something. We have made changes to the fitness to drive standards as they apply to commercial drivers and this, I think, will give increased powers to the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to take action with regard to matters like Mr Spooner's.

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