Page 5304 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
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In conclusion, this Bill will discourage drink-driving, increase road safety and increase the public's awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving. This Bill is a significant measure to reduce the road toll and, consequently, to reduce costs to the community in terms of medical expenses and hospital resources and the associated grief and trauma. I commend the Bill to the Assembly.
MR STEFANIAK (10.59): I have only a few points. I will be brief. The reason for the State Ministers and, indeed, the Federal Government wanting a uniform .05 is obvious. As someone who has done a number of breathalyser courses, I am delighted to see this Bill introduced. At .05 a person is twice as likely to have an accident because of the effect of alcohol as if they had a .00 reading. At .08 you are three times as likely. After that, it basically goes through the roof, so that, I think, when you are at about 1.5 you are 25 times as likely to have an accident because drinking really does impair your ability to drive properly. So, it is most fitting that our limit now comes down to .05.
It is also very relevant because we were in a rather strange situation of being an island in New South Wales. The police would stop a lot of people with random breath testing around Harman. They might blow about .07, and they would be going into New South Wales. They could drive in the ACT; but, certainly, when they got over the border they had problems. It does give uniformity, not only between the ACT and New South Wales but, I am pleased to see, Australia-wide.
Mr Connolly raised a fear in relation to the on-the-spot fine. I would point out to him that clause 12 of this Bill does seem to take that into consideration to a certain extent. It deals with cancellation and disqualification of previous offenders. I think the on-the-spot fines are a very good step and an innovative step in law reform, in that if you blow between .05 and .08 you will get a $500 on-the-spot fine and, indeed, will keep your licence. Normally, if a person is a little bit over .08 and either has not been driving all that long or, maybe, has been driving for a while with a few minor convictions, one can expect a fine and a three months suspension in our courts. If you have a slightly worse record you will get a little longer suspension period. Of course, if you are a previous offender within five years, your licence will be cancelled until the court otherwise orders, and the fine, of course, will be heavier.
This on-the-spot fine for the level between .05 and .08 is innovative. I think it will be very effective. Indeed, I think it will have another spin-off effect. In fact, people who often come before the courts with reasonably low readings over .08 and who tend to get fines of less than $500 might now find themselves - because the courts have been given a bit of direction too from this particular piece of legislation - facing increased fines. This will
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