Page 3952 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 23 October 1990
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fine has not increased since 1983 when they were first introduced. I should point out that the increases that we are proposing in this Bill are in line with CPI increases since the fines were last set, which, as I said, was in 1983. Since then the fines for similar offences in other States have increased roughly in line with the CPI, although New South Wales has introduced extraordinarily high fines for speeding.
Basically the situation we now have is that ACT fines are much lower than those that exist in other States, particularly in New South Wales, and this has attracted criticism from New South Wales at New South Wales-ACT forums of which I am proud to be a member and from within the ACT itself, from the police and from road safety groups and lobby groups. The fines we are proposing, a general level of increase, are now generally more comparable and equitable with those in other States.
Mr Berry: What is the death and injury rate comparison?
MR DUBY: The death and injury rate, undoubtedly, is better in the ACT than it is in the other States.
Mr Moore: See how lower fines can improve death and injury rates. It is statistically proven.
MR DUBY: It is statistically proven, says Mr Moore, that low fines mean low accident rates. Well, I do not accept that argument.
Mr Connolly made general comments and I believe my colleague Mr Collaery has answered a number of those, particularly in relation to having the fine rate declared in unit terms so that we do not need to adjust them. Penalties across a whole range of legislation seem to be expressed in terms of units and then it requires only one piece of legislation to say that a unit shall comprise X dollars and it affects every piece of legislation which is in place. I think that is a very sensible suggestion. It is something which, of course, this Government is looking at and something which we are trying, I hope, to implement during the life of this Assembly. It is a long overdue reform and everyone acknowledges that; but that does not get away from the fact that these variations to this Act are needed now and we cannot wait until such time as complicated legislation of that type is introduced and put through the Assembly.
He mentioned the number of amendments we have had to the Motor Traffic Act. I will repeat basically what Mr Collaery has said: the Motor Traffic Act is a very complex Act. It is currently under review. We are having consultations with various groups about the Motor Traffic Act. The point is that the various amendments to the Act affect various groups within society and they are the groups that we had to consult. As a result, these
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