Page 282 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 December 2008
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
be several months after the driver committed the infringement that triggered the demerit points suspension.
The proposed amendments will require the Road Transport Authority to send an interim notice to drivers in this position, to inform them that they have incurred the demerit points. The notice will tell them that their licence will be suspended or, in the case of probationary and restricted licence holders, cancelled. It will also tell them that the impending licence suspension or cancellation for excessive demerit points is in addition to the existing licence suspension, and that they will be sent a further notice about the demerit points suspension or cancellation when their existing suspension ends.
The new notice requirement will ensure that drivers are fully aware of the effect of reaching the demerit points limit for their type of licence, and will enable affected drivers to make more informed decisions about their options, including future transport arrangements, before the demerit points suspension or cancellation takes effect.
For example, a driver may decide to take steps to bring his or her existing suspension to an end by paying any outstanding fines, thereby bringing forward the start of the demerit points suspension. Alternatively, eligible drivers may take the opportunity to enter into a good behaviour undertaking, under section 19 of the Road Transport (Driver Licensing) Act, when their current suspension ends. While these options are already available, the amendments will ensure that affected drivers have sufficient notice of the impending demerit points suspension to make informed decisions about their options.
The bill also makes minor drafting amendments to the Road Transport (Safety and Traffic Management) Act. These technical amendments simplify the drafting of several provisions in the act and provide a generic description of the traffic light offences in division 1 of part 6 of the Australian Road Rules, which contains the basic traffic light offences such as failing to stop at a red light and proceeding through a red light or a red arrow. The proposed amendments do not affect the content of the Australian Road Rules, which will continue to apply to ACT drivers. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate (on motion by Mr Coe) adjourned to the next sitting.
Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill 2008 (No 2)
Ms Gallagher, pursuant to notice, presented the bill, its explanatory statement and a Human Rights Act compatibility statement.
Title read by Clerk.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Treasurer, Minister for Health, Minister for Community Services and Minister for Women) (10.40): I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .