Page 1204 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 March 2013
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account the reason for the original suspension. People suspended for fine defaults or non-payment of infringements will now be subject to a minimum disqualification period of one month. People suspended for incurring too many demerit points will be subject to a minimum disqualification period of three months. Again, this change will bring this minimum period into line with other driving offences. For suspension in any other case, the minimum disqualification period is three months for a first offender or 12 months for a repeat offender.
The intention of changing the minimum disqualification periods is to lessen the impact of long-term licence suspensions on disadvantaged road users, as a lengthy disqualification period can lead to further hardship for the disqualified person and their family. The government does not believe reducing minimum disqualification periods will lessen the deterrent effect of the provisions. The court retains its discretionary power to impose a longer disqualification period than the minimum, up to and beyond what the current minimum periods are now. Conviction rates may actually increase as a result, as the disqualification period can now be set at a level appropriate to a person’s circumstances.
These changes to disqualification periods for driving while a person’s licence is suspended complement the other provisions in this bill which support the effective implementation of the new flexible options for paying or otherwise discharging liability for traffic and parking infringement penalties. The legislation will assist people in hardship to take action to deal with their outstanding penalties and get back on the road safely. It will mean there is no need for a person to be denied access to their drivers licence only because they are in financial hardship. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
Debate on motion (by Mr Seselja) adjourned to the next sitting.
Planning and Development Regulation 2008
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (10.30): I move:
That this Assembly:
(1) notes:
(a) that Schedule 1, Part 1.3, Division 1.3.6A of the Planning and Development Regulation 2008 has been reviewed as required under the Regulation and that the findings on the review, including a summary of community comments, are set out in the Planning and Development (Exempt Developments—schools) Review Notice 2013 (No 1), which is available on the Legislation Register; and
(b) that Schedule 1, Part 1.3, Division 1.3.6A, s1.99C of the Planning and Development Regulation expires on 31 March 2013 unless continued by resolution of the Legislative Assembly;
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