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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 9 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 3043 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

"(3A) The Registrar shall not approve premises to be authorised premises unless the equipment to be used on the premises to test a motor vehicle or trailer that does not exceed 4.5 tonnes, to determine whether or not brakes fitted to it comply with such of the requirements of the Manual as are applicable to the motor vehicle or trailer, is a Roller Brake Testing machine that complies with the prescribed requirements.".

Page 16, line 23, after proposed subsection 26AP(1), insert the following subsection:

"(1A) An authorised examiner shall not complete a certificate of inspection in respect of a motor vehicle or trailer unless the machine used by the authorised inspector to determine whether or not the brakes fitted to the motor vehicle or trailer comply with such of the requirements of the Manual as are applicable to the motor vehicle or trailer, was a Roller Brake Testing machine of the kind specified in subsection 26AG(3A).".

Mr Speaker, these amendments deal with Labor's proposal that the registrar not approve premises to be authorised premises and examiners not complete a certificate of inspection unless the premises concerned have roller brake testing machines that comply with prescribed requirements. The reason for these amendments is that we believe that if we are going to do a job we have to do the job properly.

Labor supports private inspectors being allowed into the field; but Labor also believes that brake testing is an important thing, and the only effective way of testing brakes, short of dismantling them, is with a roller brake tester. Only a roller brake tester will give you testing of the performance of individual wheels and individual brakes to ensure that all your brakes are working, as opposed to just testing the general stopping power which might disguise the fact that a particular wheel cylinder or brake is defective in some way. That is why we are moving these amendments.

In the in-principle stage Mr Moore expressed the view that he did not think anyone in the private sector would have roller brake testing equipment. I can assure Mr Moore that I have been advised that there is at least one roller brake testing machine already in operation in the private sector, and it is likely that others will also be available. I think there is every likelihood of a number of people in the private sector being able to comply with these requirements and provide an inspection system.

Given that under this regime only a very small number of inspections will be done each year, we do not need a huge number of inspectors out there in the marketplace. There will not be the demand for inspections to justify a lot of people setting themselves up as authorised inspectors or authorised premises, but the ones who do ought to do the job properly. There will be some private testers complying with these requirements, able to test brakes properly, and able to do the other checks that will be required under the vehicle inspection manual. I therefore believe that these amendments are appropriate.

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