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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 5 Hansard (15 May) . . Page.. 1459 ..

MR KAINE (continuing):

disqualification period expires. This means that offenders have a second chance, but only one, when driving on a special probationary licence. As people with these licences can lose only two demerit points before having them cancelled, offenders with special probationary licences must drive carefully to avoid losing their right to drive altogether.

A change which will reduce the workload of the police is that ACT drivers will now have to carry their drivers licences with them every time they drive. At the present time drivers have three days in which to produce their licence to police. This creates some additional workload for the police in following that up. The new requirement to carry a drivers licence at all times will remove that workload from the police and it will bring us into line with New South Wales.

Mr Speaker, this Government is committed to improving road safety in the ACT. We are taking steps to introduce a competency-based driving system, and we are now tightening up other laws related to drink-driving particularly but also to some more serious non-drink-driving-related offences. These amendments, the Government believes, will ensure that the laws related to unsafe driving remain consistent, whether they are related to alcohol or not, and that people are removed from the roads where their actions are proved to be irresponsible.

Debate (on motion by Mr Whitecross) adjourned.

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (AMENDMENT) BILL 1997

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Training) (11.10): Mr Speaker, I present the Vocational Education and Training (Amendment) Bill 1997, together with its explanatory memorandum.

Title read by Clerk.

MR STEFANIAK: I move:

That this Bill be agreed to in principle.

Mr Speaker, I am pleased to present the Vocational Education and Training Amendment Bill 1997. The Vocational Education and Training Act 1995 is being amended to place providers registered prior to 1996 on the same footing as providers registered after the commencement of the Act and to bring the annual report provisions into line with the Annual Reports (Government Agencies) Act 1995. The proposed amendments to the Acts are minimal but will enhance the efficient functioning of the vocational education and training sector. Current provisions in the Vocational Education and Training Act in relation to reporting requirements are inconsistent with those of other ACT agencies. The changes to the Act are administrative in nature and have no policy or revenue implications.

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