Page 3798 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
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Australian Design Rules are specific to vehicles at the date of manufacture and vary according to the type of vehicle. They are rules which relate to design specifications to ensure uniformity in construction, that safety standards are maintained, and minimum standards for vehicle emissions are established at the time of manufacture. They include specifications relating to such things as seat belts and other occupant protection, lighting location and equipment, brake performance, window safety glass and vehicle strength in the event of impact in a collision situation.
I recall that some years ago, in fact, one of the Australian Design Rules brought in was the requirement to have anchor points for child safety restraints, which I think was a very important initiative and one that every parent should make very good use of when they carry their children in the car. I think it is very important for that facility to be available.
Exemption provisions have also been provided in the Bill to ensure that, in certain circumstances, non-complying vehicles, that is, vehicles which do not meet the design rules for the model, are not necessarily precluded from being able to be registered. That is a matter that Mrs Grassby has already mentioned. For example, vehicles which have been modified to suit a disabled driver may be able to be registered provided safety and road worthiness requirements are met. This is in recognition of the need to make modifications to vehicles on occasions to suit particular needs or circumstances.
However, as is the current practice, any persons seeking to make modifications to their vehicles which may result in their non-compliance should seek the advice of the motor vehicle registry technical staff to ensure that any proposed modifications or non-original equipment changes, such as the replacement of catalytic converters, will not preclude registration in the ACT.
The latter one, I think, is very important with a view to reducing the level of lead that we have in the ACT because it is related to the introduction of lead free petrol - a very important initiative. Finally, may I reinforce what has previously been said, namely, that the introduction of this Bill simply puts into law what has been undertaken administratively in the past and, accordingly, should have little effect on the motor vehicle industry or the ACT community. It is something which has been able to be achieved only with the advent of self-government in the ACT and the streamlining of legislative processes. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
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