I speak on the Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Unauthorised Vehicle Use) Bill 2010, which amends the Road Transport (Vehicle Registration) Act 1997 concerning registered operators of vehicles and the detection of offences involving unauthorised vehicle use, and makes consequential amendments to certain other legislation. The bill is very important for the party that I represent, which is concerned about the values of the families of accident victims, who have suffered greatly over the years. My party instructed me to speak very forcefully on this issue and to support the Government in what it is doing.
The bill will amend the principal Act to enable photographs taken by certain approved camera devices to be tendered and used in evidence for certain offences involving unauthorised vehicle use, such as the use of an unregistered or uninsured vehicle; to confirm that generally only one person may be recorded as the registered operator of a registrable vehicle in the Register of Registrable Vehicles maintained under the Act; and to consolidate in one section all the provisions currently in the Act relating to the maintenance of the register.
The Roads and Traffic Authority estimate that 1.2 per cent of vehicles on New South Wales are unregistered and uninsured, which represents more than 65,000 vehicles. In 2002, 44 unlicensed drivers were involved in fatal accidents. Police assessed that 38 of those drivers were at fault, causing 44 deaths. In comparison, only 55 per cent of the 698 validly licensed drivers involved in fatal accidents were at fault. Those issues particularly concern the Family First Party because it has a deep and ongoing commitment to ensuring that children, many of whom are killed in accidents, survive. Of the 44 unlicensed drivers, the 18 who were disqualified or cancelled were assessed to be at fault in all fatal accidents in which they were involved.
The Motor Accidents Authority advises that personal injury claims caused by unregistered vehicles represent about 2 per cent of all compulsory third party [CTP] claims, cost on average $18.5 million each year, and add approximately $6 to the average annual CTP premium. In addition, unregistered vehicles are generally not insured against property damage. Accidents involving unregistered vehicles impose an unquantified cost on other road users through property damage and ultimately through higher insurance premiums.
The 2003 report by the New South Wales Audit Office entitled “Dealing with Unlicensed and Unregistered Driving” recommended that red light and speed cameras be used to detect unregistered vehicles. In all other jurisdictions, except the Australian Capital Territory, enforcement cameras are used to detect unregistered vehicles. Consultation on the reforms in May 2008 had been undertaken with the Motor Traders Association, the Motor Accidents Authority and compulsory third party insurers.
Consultations on the current reform have been conducted with the New South Wales Police Force, the Attorney General’s Department and the State Debt Recovery Office in relation to the camera detection of unauthorised driving and these agencies support the proposal. I will refrain from addressing the agreement in principle speech as it has already been said and I am sure it is absolutely correct. The key objective in using cameras to detect unauthorised driving is to ensure that all vehicles using the State’s roads are registered and insured.
This benefits the entire community in that it protects registration revenue and ultimately funding for road construction and maintenance. It will also reduce the costs on the insurance industry, and ultimately on motorists, from accidents involving uninsured vehicles. This legislation brings New South Wales into line with other States and Territories. On behalf of Family First I wholeheartedly support the Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Unauthorised Vehicle Use) Bill and I commend it to the House.