Page 2675 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 1993
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MOTOR TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. 3) 1993
[COGNATE BILL:
MOTOR TRAFFIC (ALCOHOL AND DRUGS) (AMENDMENT) BILL
(NO. 3) 1993]
Debate resumed from 17 June 1993, on motion by Mr Connolly:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MADAM SPEAKER: Is it the wish of the Assembly to debate this order of the day concurrently with the Motor Traffic (Alcohol and Drugs) (Amendment) Bill (No. 3) 1993? There being no objection, that course will be followed. I remind members that in debating order of the day No. 1 they may also address their remarks to order of the day No. 2.
MR DE DOMENICO (3.20): Madam Speaker, the Liberal Party will be supporting both of these two Bills and will also be supporting amendments that I believe Mr Connolly will be introducing later on. I thank Mr Connolly, firstly, for the briefing he allowed his public servants to give the Opposition and, secondly, for the prior notice he gave me of the amendments and for the discussions that his office and I had on them.
Madam Speaker, the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Bill (No. 3) amends the Motor Traffic Act 1936 to introduce graduated driver licensing and a demerit points system. The graduated licence system includes provisional licences, learner drivers and probationary licences. It also restricts people from obtaining multiple licences in different States and Territories and removes the exemption on medical grounds from wearing a motorcycle helmet.
The Liberal Party has widely consulted with organisations, including the Bus and Coach Owners Association, ACT Branch; the Motor Trades Association; the NRMA; and the National Safety Council. As I said before, I thank Mr Connolly and officers of his department - especially the acting general manager of the Roads and Transport Branch, Dr Rohan Clark, and Jim Fouracre and Steve Crofts and their staff members for the excellent briefing given to the Opposition.
Madam Speaker, the Bill largely brings the ACT into line with other States and the licensing initiatives with the Australian Transport Advisory Council. There are some differences. For example, the minimum age for motorcycle L-plates is 16 years and nine months. The Department, I am aware, has consulted the Motorcycle Riders Association, and this was agreed on as a better age for young motorcycle riders - a little older and hopefully more responsible. Madam Speaker, with that said, it is good legislation and the Opposition will not be opposing the Bill.
MR CONNOLLY (Attorney-General, Minister for Housing and Community Services and Minister for Urban Services) (3.22), in reply: I thank the Opposition for their support of this package. It is a fairly complex package of legislation. Mr De Domenico did avail himself, as he acknowledged, of some briefings on it. I am pleased that the Opposition supports the thrust of the legislation.
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