Page 3937 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 23 October 1990
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individual members has been most appreciated. I think you particularly, Mr Speaker, will agree that reducing unnecessary legislative processes will benefit the general community.
This Bill ensures that the more straightforward procedural decision of setting taxi fares can be made by the responsible Minister without unnecessarily committing legislative resources. The decision to alter fares will still be open to scrutiny by the Government and in the Legislative Assembly. The decision will be disallowable in the Assembly. I think that is an important part that has been stressed by a number of members. I commend the support for the Bill and I commend it to the house.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
MOTOR TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. 6) 1990
Debate resumed from 20 September 1990, on motion by Mr Duby:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MR MOORE (8.50): Mr Speaker, this Bill concerns me because it is more a budget Bill than it is a Bill to deal with penalties. When we are looking at penalties it is clear that from time to time penalties will need to rise. I think it is appropriate that penalties, like many other things, should be attached to the CPI if we want them to be realistic.
I think it is an inappropriate time, as a recession approaches, when we realise that many people are in the position of having a limited disposable income, for us to be increasing penalties. The reason for increasing penalties is to ensure that the effect of such penalties is not lost, that penalties do not become so small that they simply can be ignored. The effect of this Bill, right across the Motor Traffic Act, is to increase many of the penalties significantly and I think that approach is inappropriate at this time.
There is certainly a need to adjust penalties from time to time; but the timing of this Bill, tying in with the budget, is, of course, just too much of a coincidence. I think that we should really very carefully consider whether we are here, under such circumstances, trying to deter people or whether we are trying to raise revenue. Insofar
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