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Major driver's licence change for Victorian drivers

A major drivers licence change has been implemented in Victoria. Up to 800,000 learner and provisional drivers in the state will soon have electronic access to their licence in a bid to make "it easier for them to go about their lives". They join the 1.2 million motorists in the state who already have the capability to access their licence digitally, a feature that was only introduced in Victoria in May this year. While the digital licences are optional, the state government said that feedback from the public has been overwhelmingly positive. Like other digital licences, it features a highly secure, timed QR code" that can be scanned by businesses and other authorities to verify authenticity and prevent fraudulent use. Victoria Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne said the initiative aims to simplify life for young drivers in the state. "We’ve seen more than 1.2 million Victorians access their licence on their phones since we launched this technology in May, and I’m sure we’ll continue to see a strong take up from our younger drivers," she said. The licences can also be updated in real-time if there are changes to conditions, personal information or if a licence has been cancelled or suspended. The state government is also working with venues to ensure licences are compatible with major scanning technology making it easier for both customers and venues across Victoria. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Aussie mum with no licence or car fined thousands for traffic offences

An Aussie mum has copped thousands of dollars worth of traffic fines, despite not owning a car or holding a valid driver's licence. Victorian woman Tamara, 32, claims that she has received 16 different infringement notices this year alone in relation to 14 different licence plate numbers, and none of them are hers. The incorrect fines have been sent to her from as far back as 2022. Several of the alleged offences captured on road safety cameras show bearded men behind the wheel. "Clearly, I don't have a beard. The person in the picture is a male. Anyone with eyes can see it's not me," she told A Current Affair. The saga has badly impacted her mental health and she has called on both the police and road officials in the state to overhaul the system to prevent other people from ending up in the same situation as her. The mum fears that her identity or her expired licence number may have been compromised during Optus' mass data breach two years ago. "I am not the driver. I don't drive a vehicle, I don't even have a licence. I have no idea what to think actually because it is unexplainable." "It doesn't make any sense and it shouldn't make any sense in anyone's eyes. It doesn't add up and it's clearly fraudulent." Lawyer Justin Lawrence agrees with the 32-year-old and said that she is entitled to challenge the fines. "There is a system glitch there somewhere and she's entitled to challenge those fines. The system relies on the information that it has. If the information is inaccurate, then the system can't work," he said. Tamara has made a formal complaint to Victoria Police in a bid to clear her name, and they are now working with Fines Victoria to "investigate the circumstances around these incidents and resolve these matters". "Members of the public who believe they have been falsely nominated for a traffic infringement should contact Fines Victoria," a statement from the police read. Images: A Current Affair/ Nine

Legal

Kyle Sandilands loses licence live on air

Kyle Sandilands has been left reeling after being told, while live on-air, that he has lost his NSW drivers licence. The radio host was told by his KIISFM manager about the unfortunate licence loss, while Sandilands and his co-host Jackie O were discussing speeding fines. After telling Jackie that speeding fines don’t bother him, Kyle was left red-faced when Bruno Bouchet chimed in to say the 53-year-old recently received a new penalty notice. “I don’t have enough points! I’m on the razor’s edge!” Kyle admitted, adding that he has “No points” left on his licence. “Both Kyle and I are. We can’t afford to lose anything!” Jackie added. When newsreader Brooklyn Ross asked if it meant Kyle had lost his licence, Bruno confirmed that he had. “He finds out live on air that he’s lost his license. But you know what? It’s only the sixth time,” Jackie O laughs, before Kyle corrects her, “The ninth time.” Kyle was still in disbelief over the penalty notice, even after being handed photographic evidence of him speeding in a Sydney tunnel. “So, on my speed sign recognition, it said 90km. But on the sign in the tunnel, it said 80km,” he began pleading his case. “And I remember Chris Minns, the Premier of New South Wales, sitting with me saying, ‘We’re kicking it [the speed limit] up to 90km’. And I thought that some d**khead hasn’t updated the sign.” When Jackie asked why he didn’t just follow the speed sign, Kyle replied: “I believed the tech in my vehicle and the Premier of New South Wales.” Image credits: KIISFM

Legal

Dodgy tactic to keep driver's licence growing "out of control"

A criminal lawyer has exposed an alarming trend, which has caused more and more people to seek legal advice. Over the past year, there has been an increase in the number of drivers off-loading their demerit points to strangers in exchange for cash, as Aussies desperately try to keep their licences. The illegal tactic is often advertised on social media, where users attract those looking for someone to falsely nominate and palm off their demerit points to. The price of one demerit point can go for $30-$150, and criminal lawyer Jahan Kalantar revealed that more people are seeking legal advice after getting involved in the trend. "This used to be a very tiny part of my practice, I do about eight to nine consultations a week on this," he told 7News Sunrise. "This is becoming really out of control." <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/dodgy-drivers-licence-tactic-used-by-millions-growing-out-of-control-044254123.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo Australia </a>shared a screenshot of a chat obtained from Facebook, which showed a person responding to an ad someone put up about selling their demerit points. "What fine is it?" the person advertising asked. "Speeding," the person replied. "Yeah I can sort it out for you," they said. When asked how it would work the advertiser replied: "If it's under 5 points it's $80 a point". There are tough penalties for those who choose to falsely nominate another driver, and for those who trade their demerit points for cash. In Victoria, offenders face fines of $9,000, while those in NSW and Queensland cop a maximum penalty of $11,000. In addition to hefty fines, imprisonment is also a risk, with one high-profile incident in 2006 landing former federal court judge Marcus Einfeld in prison after he was caught falsely declaring another driver for his speeding fine. Images: 7NEWS/ Facebook

Legal

Star Sydney suspension: how do casino operators found so unfit get to keep their licences?

How low does a casino operator in Australia have to go before it loses its gaming licence? That question is still hanging after the punishment meted out to the operator of The Star Sydney casino – found to be “<a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2022-08/apo-nid319488.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not suitable</a> to be concerned in or associated with the management and operation of a casino in NSW”. A four-month inquiry into the casino found Star Entertainment’s management “rotten to the core” and documented, in a report of more than 900 pages, a litany of failings from flouting anti-money-laundering laws to deliberately misleading regulators. NSW’s new Independent Casino Commission, having given the company two weeks to “show cause” why it should not lose its casino licence, suspended that licence, appointed an emergency manager to run the casino for at least 90 days, and imposed a A$100 million fine. This is the maximum fine possible under laws introduced in August, and $20 million more than what Victoria’s regulator <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/melbournes-crown-casino-handed-record-80-million-fine-over-illegal-funds-transfer-scheme/o1i5k8724" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fined Crown Resorts in May</a>. The head of the Independent Casino Commission, Philip Crawford, <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/star-casino-licence-suspended" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it was “no longer in the public interest that the Star should remain in control of that licence”. This is progress of a kind from the new casino regulator, established this year to replace the former Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority in light of that agency’s regulatory failings. But it raises obvious questions about the upshot of all the other casino inquiries – in NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and Queensland – that have found Star Entertainment and Crown Resorts unfit or unsuitable to hold casino licences. Yet not one casino has had to close its doors. <h2>Saving jobs, and revenue</h2> So what does a casino have to actually do to lose its licence? Looking at the case of The Star Sydney, it’s apparently not enough to allow more than A$900 million to pass through the casino in contravention of anti-money-laundering rules. Or to fabricate receipts to hide this. Neither is allowing a Macau-based junket operator with known links to criminal enterprise to run a high-roller room. Crawford defended not going further than suspending the casino licence, because Star Entertainment had “demonstrated genuine contrition” and to preserve the livelihoods of the casino’s employees: <blockquote> A big issue for us, to be frank, in this environment is that there is probably about 10,000 employees of the Star casino, and a lot of them rely on the income to pay their mortgages and raise their kids. </blockquote> This is, in part, recognition that culpability lies at the level of senior management, not croupiers, waiters and cleaners. Even so, such a rationale also suggests regulators are in danger of being trapped by a culture of considering operators “too big to fail”. <h2>Too big to fail?</h2> The Star Sydney employs an estimated <a href="https://www.zoominfo.com/c/the-star-entertainment-group/347613908" target="_blank" rel="noopener">8,000 people</a> at its site in Pyrmont. Crown Resorts has 11,500 people working at its Southbank premises in Melbourne and 6,000 at its Burswood site in Perth – making it the largest single-site private employer <a href="https://www.crownresorts.com.au/our-contribution/employment-training" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in Victoria and Western Australia</a>. By comparison, Australia’s biggest employer, Woolworths, employs 190,000 people across more than 1,000 Australian and New Zealand sites. The ABC <a href="https://www.zoominfo.com/pic/abc-australian-broadcasting-corporation/363975" target="_blank" rel="noopener">employs about 5,000</a> staff. <h2>Raking in gaming revenue</h2> But perhaps even more important than the jobs are the revenues that casinos deliver to state and territory governments. Figures from the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/government/taxation-revenue-australia/latest-release#data-download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Bureau of Statistics</a> show that, in 2020-21, states and territories collected A$7 billion in gambling taxes. More than half – nearly A$4 billion – came from casinos and gambling machines. The NSW government collected A$2.7 billion – 7.3% of its total revenue. The Victorian government collected A$1.6 billion – 5.4% of total revenue. Again, the vast majority came from gambling machines. The government most reliant on gambling revenue was the Northern Territory – with nearly 15% of its taxation income from gambling. Casinos are not only big business for private investors. They have become key to the sustainability of state and territory finances. That no casino has been forced to shut its doors is emblematic of this problematic and increasing financial reliance. It’s one thing to hold public inquiries and make adverse findings against casino operators. But, as with banks, the apparent reticience to revoke gaming licences signals that money, in the words of Cyndi Lauper, changes everything. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/star-sydney-suspension-how-do-casino-operators-found-so-unfit-get-to-keep-their-licences-192608" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Ferrari owner loses licence AND car for record-breaking speeding

A Sydney man has been charged after being caught allegedly driving at almost 100 kilometres over the speed limit in an unregistered Ferrari Portofino on the Hume Highway in NSW. The 42-year-old was clocked doing 204 km/h in a 110 km sign-posted area near Goulburn, before being chased down and issued with a Court Attendance Notice by NSW Police. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/ferrari-portofino.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The car in question. Image: NSW Police He was charged with driving a vehicle recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, exceeding the speed limit by 45 km/h, and using an unregistered vehicle. His NSW driver’s licence has been suspended and his car confiscated for three months, and he is due to appear in Goulburn Local Court on Wednesday, June 29. As speedy as he was, the man isn’t the first (or last) to drive at such speeds, with the driver of a Mercedes Benz caught driving 220 km/h in an 80 zone in 2020, per <a href="https://www.dmarge.com/ferrari-driver-speeding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DMarge</a>. Image: Getty Images

Legal

P-plate speedster loses licence an hour after passing driving test

A P-plater has been caught driving at a whopping 193 km/h and lost his licence just one hour after passing his driving test. The 18-year-old Sydney man was pulled over by police from Burwood Highway Patrol in Moombooldool, about 50km east of Griffith, after he was clocked speeding in an old Toyota Hilux. The officers - also from Sydney - were en-route to Griffith to start a traffic enforcement campaign in the area and shared their encounter on social media. “After stopping the vehicle and speaking to the driver (officers) discovered the driver had only (an) hour earlier passed his driving test,” the post on NSW Police’s Traffic and Highway Patrol Command page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TrafficServicesNSWPF/posts/5245654198832851" target="_blank" rel="noopener">read</a>. Police revealed the driver’s teenage sibling was also in the car and that the driver received a hefty punishment, including a penalty notice for speeding by more than 45 km/h and not displaying his newly-received P plates. “His licence was suspended on the spot for a minimum of six months, which will be extended due to the excessive loss of demerit points,” the post read. Highway patrol officers based in rural areas who spoke to <a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/p-plate-driver-busted-at-193km-h-moments-after-getting-licence-also-a-toyota-hilux-can-do-193km-h/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drive</a> said they were surprised by how many city motorists get caught at high speeds. “People don’t realise (the highway patrol) are everywhere across the state,” one officer told the publication. “A lot of people think they can floor it in remote areas, but the dangers are significant, with wildlife, livestock and trees by the side of the road. “It’s also easier to detect speeds because there is usually only one road in or out of a regional centre. If you speed, you will get caught because we’re out there.” Image: Traffic and Highway Patrol Command - NSW Police Force (Facebook)

Legal

Why police blocked Kyle Sandilands’ gun licence application

Radio shock jock Kyle Sandliands is taking the NSW Police to court after they rejected his application for a gun license. After submitting the application over a year ago, the 50-year-old presenter was told by police in September that he wouldn't be getting a. gun. He is seeking a review of the decision, and has launched proceedings before the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) against NSW Police and their decision. According to a source close to the radio star, the initial application was rejected for a number of reasons, including some comments he made previously on air about gun usage, as well as the criminal background of some of his associates. Some of Kyle's closest friends include convicted drug trafficker Simon Main, and nightclub boss John Ibrahim, who is subject to a firearms prohibition order. In a statement from the NSW Police, a spokesperson said, "personal history checks" are a part of the process for all gun license applications. “The NSW Firearms Registry fully reviews all new licence applications to ensure they satisfy their licensing requirement,” a police spokesman said. “This includes conducting personal history checks to ensure all provisions within the legislation – including provisions with respect to public safety – are met. “When a Notice of Refusal is issued by the Firearms Registry, it includes the reason for refusal and details all appeal rights.” Kyle has long expressed his interest in firearms, as he is regularly seen attending pistol clubs when in the US. In a 60 Minutes interview with Karl Stefanovic last year, they filmed part of their chat at the Los Angeles Gun Club. “It just gets the adrenaline out, plus I am really good at it,” he said when asked what he liked about shooting. “I just imagine all of the people I hate.” Kyle has also made bold statements about lifting the ban on rapid-fire shotguns on air back in 2016. “Is it better off that all the criminals have all the weapons and the rest of us are defenceless?” he said, just a few months after a massacre in Orlando, US, that led to the deaths of 49 people. A directions hearing for Sandilands’ proceedings is set before NCAT’s Administrative and Equal Opportunity Division for December 21. Image credits: 60 Minutes / Instagram @kylesandilands

News

80-year-old speedster loses licence

An elderly man has lost his licence and received a fine after South Australian Police allegedly detected his car travelling more than 80 kilometres over the speed limit. Highway patrol spotted the driver in his Subaru WRX sedan at Alma, in South Australia’s lower Mid North region, at about 2.45pm on Wednesday. The 80-year-old man was pulled over after being allegedly clocked at 182 kilometres per hour on a road with a speed limit of 100 kph. He also lost his licence for six months. The driver, an Adelaide Plains man, was pulled over by police and handed a $1,814 fine. “Given the high number of serious and fatal crashes recently in the Barossa and Mid North area, this type of driving is of significant concern,” police said in a statement. “Highway patrols will continue to have a presence along main arterial roads and highways between rural townships with speed detection, vehicle road-worthiness and drink and drug driving receiving particular attention.” The latest incident comes after a series of fatal crashes, with police pleading with drivers to take care on the roads and slow down. Last month, a grandmother and father died while on a road trip to buy a birthday present, when the car they were travelling in hit a tree. “I implore people to be cautious, drive safely and consider the consequences and implications of your actions when you’re using our roads because there are significant and quite lifelong consequences,” Superintendent Bob Gray said at the time. Image: SA Police

Travel Trouble

Double demerits: The one move that could cost you your licence this weekend

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> The October long weekend quickly approaches, which means double demerits are enforced from Friday until the end of Monday in NSW. Thousands of people are expected to travel with eased COVID-19 restrictions to drive interstate. However, Police and Emergency Services David Elliot said that police will be out in force across the state for Operation Slowdown, with a focus on mobile phone usage. Mobile Phone Detection Cameras will be out, with drivers hit with a $457 fine and 10 demerit points if caught using their phone behind the wheel. “One or two mistakes on the road could cost you your licence,” Mr Elliott said on Wednesday. "One road fatality is one too many. Stick to the speed limit, put your phone down, and observe the road rules. We want people to arrive at their destination safely," Mr Elliott said. On the last long weekend in October, six people were killed on NSW roads. “That is six people too many,” Regional Transport and Roads Minister Paul Toole said. "We are asking everyone to plan your trip in advance, allow plenty of extra travel and be patient on the roads," he said. Police in NSW are also targeting speeding, seat belt and motorcycle helmet offences, with the penalty for driving without a seatbelt during a double demerit period being six points off your licence. </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Mum’s disbelief at hilarious new licence photo

Young mum Jane Dodd from Tennessee in the US was a little shocked – but mostly amused – when her brand new driver’s licence arrived in the post. Instead of the usual awkward headshot of herself that we’ve all learned to dread seeing on our most trusted form of identification, there was simply an image of an empty chair. Ms Dodd had elected to renew her licence online, but was certainly not expecting to have her headshot replaced by a common piece of furniture from the licencing centre. So she immediately called up to alert them to the problem – believing, quite correctly, that she would encounter all kinds of issues if she actually tried to use the odd piece of ID out in the real world. <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjadeisjaded%2Fposts%2F3898104436882647&show_text=true&width=552&appId=261350607345818&height=523" width="552" height="523" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> The problem then escalated, as Ms Dodd found it very difficult to even get anyone at the licencing centre to believe her. “The lady … did not really believe me when I was like, ‘Hey, I need my licence fixed,’ Ms Dodd told a local radio station after being interviewed. “Then she looked it up in the system and goes, ‘Oh, I need my manager for this’.” It turns out this was definitely a first for the licencing centre in question. Wes Moster from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security said was able to get to the bottom of mix-up, explaining to a local news outlet: “When the customer visited the Driver Services Centre a few years ago, an examiner made an error by capturing and saving the wrong photo (of an empty chair) to the customer’s profile. When the customer recently renewed her driver licence online, she received an image of a chair because that was the last picture taken on file.” That simple and perfectly reasonable explanation didn’t prevent the outpouring of hilarious reactions when Ms Dodd posted her predicament on Facebook. “What the heck? I’m not sure if I should laugh or what!?” commented one user. “Are you a vampire?” another joked. “Wait! You have super powers - Invisibility!” wrote a third. While the responses and mirth have not yet subsided, Ms Dodd has now had a replacement ID issued with her proper headshot in its place – but she will definitely be holding onto the unique original “just for a laugh”. Image Source: Jade Dodd / Facebook

Travel Trouble

How thousands of dangerous drivers are avoiding licence loss

Thousands of speeding drivers on company vehicles are avoiding penalties as businesses choose to pay hefty fines to keep the offenders nameless. Victoria’s speed camera watchdog said businesses – ranging from tradies to large corporate entities – exploited a legal loophole to keep their employees from losing their licences over road rule infringement. An investigation by the Road Safety Camera Commissioner found that for the two years up to July 2018, there were <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/crime/victorian-legal-loophole-allowing-drivers-to-avoid-paying-speeding-fines-c-471025" target="_blank">53,845 cases</a> where companies paid a $3,000 fine instead of naming the drivers caught breaking the law. If businesses opt to name the offending drivers, they will receive demerit points and a personal fine of around $300. Of the reported infringements, more than 4,200 drivers would have lost their licences if their companies had not born the costs, according to the report. Commissioner John Voyage said many companies seem to be treating the $3,000 fine as “a cost of doing business”. In one case, a company vehicle paid off $93,000 in fines to prevent 31 loss-of licence events in the two-year period. “Drivers can continue to offend without being made accountable for their actions,” said Voyage. “This is unfair and unsafe for the large majority of responsible drivers and road users.” Voyage called for changes to the system, including allowing suspension of company vehicle registration if they fail to nominate a driver. “I’ve been in this position for [more than three years] and I’ve never heard anybody say they’re interested in the money, and I've heard people say ‘I’d want zero infringement if people just obeyed the law’.” The Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Lisa Neville, said the statistics were “incredibly disappointing”. She said <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-24/victorian-speed-camera-watchdog-warns-of-drivers-licence-fines/11541316" target="_blank">in a statement</a>, “We take this investigation very seriously and will work with our road safety partners to fully review the recommendations through the Ministerial Council for Road Safety and consider any options to continue to make our roads safer.” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews slammed the companies taking advantage of the rule. “It gets really difficult to justify how someone, if they happen to have deep pockets, can avoid being accountable for the way they drive,” he said. “We will look very closely at the finding put forward as to whether it is suitable for us to continue this arrangement where companies pay a higher amount and not have the offence, demerit points of consequences held to the individual license holder.”

Travel Trouble

Cancer Council calls for tobacco licence for businesses

Around 10,000 businesses would be required to purchase a licence to continue selling tobacco products under a new proposal to reduce smoking-related cancer deaths. Cancer Council has called on the New South Wales government to introduce a ‘tobacco licence’ to reduce the number of stores selling the controversial item in the state. According to a study that the non-profit organisation conducted with the University of Sydney and Western Sydney University, an annual licencing fee would help discourage stores from selling cigarettes and other tobacco products. In Western Australia, the only state in the study that has licencing fees, around one in eight former tobacco retailers said the licence was the reason they stopped selling the product. The research surveyed more than 4,500 businesses in NSW, Victoria and Western Australia, with about 1,830 of these selling or having previously sold tobacco. “Tobacco is among the most widely available consumer goods in Australia, and this wide distribution increases consumption, maintains smoking and undermines smokers’ quit attempts,” said Christina Watts, Cancer Council NSW’s tobacco control senior project officer and lead author of the research. “This research shows that a fee-based tobacco licence can contribute to a reduction in the availability of tobacco.” Currently, retailers in Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory have to pay between $242 and $297 to sell tobacco products. NSW, Victoria and Queensland do not require businesses to pay any annual fee for tobacco sales. “Licensing can be used to restrict the number of retailers within areas, limit the types of outlets that can sell tobacco and/or deter retailers from selling or continuing to sell,” said Watts. The survey found up to 45 per cent of NSW tobacco retailers to be in support of an annual fee if the money was put towards greater enforcement and education of laws. “Smoking still places a huge burden on the community and on people’s lives,” Watts said. “If the NSW Government are to achieve the goal of restricting the availability and supply of tobacco, as outlined in their tobacco strategy, the introduction of an annual licence fee for retailers is a common-sense next step,” she concluded.

Retirement Income

This state is rolling out digital driver’s licences

Digital licences will now be rolled out across the state of NSW after a successful trial was carried out in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, Albury and Dubbo earlier this year. This means that any NSW licenced driver with a smartphone will be able to produce their phone to show their proof of licence from August this year. Switching to the digital version of the driver’s licence won’t cost you a cent, but drivers who are travelling outside of NSW will need to carry their plastic card. It’s important to note that the NSW digital version is currently not valid in any other states or overseas. NSW has also expanded their range of digital versions of licences, which include the Boat Driving Licence, Vessel Registration, Recreation Fishing Fee, Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) Competency Card, Responsible Conduct of Gambling (RCG) Competency Card and Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance. <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p819xOl185k"></iframe></div> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9">For those who aren’t as confident with smartphone technology, you will still be able to use the plastic card licence.</div> In order to switch your licence from plastic to digital, drivers will need to download the latest version of the Service NSW app and then add the licence to your MyServiceNSW account. The digital licence also allows drivers to view, show and renew their licence through the app.

Legal

The new “immediate loss of licence” road rule that starts today

New drink and drug driving laws have come into effect for those living in NSW. The new laws will see anyone who is caught driving over the alcohol limit receive a three-month suspension. From today May 20, any driver, whether they are a first time or low range offender, will receive a $561 fine as well as an immediate three-month licence suspension. Transport and Roads Minister Andrew Constance said <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/crime/all-nsw-drinkdrivers-to-lose-licence-immediately-under-tough-new-rules/news-story/06b93117e603e924f0115f364d21aacb" target="_blank">earlier this month</a>: “This means anyone caught drink-driving in NSW, at any level, including low-range, can now lose their licence immediately. “This reform makes it clear if you break the law, you will pay the price. We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to drink and drug driving.” As Mr Constance stated, the law also applies for those who are caught drug driving. The new penalties come into force as a part of a number of changes that are being introduced as a rollout of the Road Safety Plan 2021. This is in an effort to deter drink driving and reduce alcohol related trauma. The Road Safety Plan aims to reduce road fatalities by at least 30 per cent by 2021. With alcohol-related crashes claiming the lives of at least 68 people on NSW roads last year alone, something needs to be done. “Drivers who have an illegal level of alcohol in their blood or have used illegal drugs have no place on the road,” Mr Constance said. Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Corboy has said that the new reform would protect road users due to the swift and certain penalties. “Alcohol is one of the major factors in crashes that kill or injure people on NSW roads,” Mr Corboy said. “The 0.05 blood alcohol limit has been in place for almost 38 years. There are no more excuses.” For those who drive public passenger vehicles, which include buses and taxis, the limit is 0.02. This is also the limit for coach and heavy vehicle drivers, as well as those who drive dangerous goods.

Legal

Immediate loss of licence: The strict new road rule starting May 20

Tough new laws will be introduced May 20th to curb the impact of drink-driving on NSW roads. From May 20th, every person caught drink-driving in NSW will lose their licence immediately and be slapped with a whopping $561 fine. It’s a new policy that’s being introduced by Andrew Constance, the NSW Roads Minister, who says that the state has “zero tolerance” for drink-driving and drug-driving. “This means anyone caught drink-driving in NSW, at any level, including low-range, can now lose their licence immediately,” the minister said in a statement today. “This reform makes it clear if you break the law, you will pay the price. We are taking a zero-tolerance approach to drink and drug driving.” Assistant Police Commissioner Michael Corboy said that the reform would protect road users due to the steep penalties. “Alcohol is one of the major factors in crashes that kill or injure people on NSW roads,” Mr Corboy said to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/crime/all-nsw-drinkdrivers-to-lose-licence-immediately-under-tough-new-rules/news-story/06b93117e603e924f0115f364d21aacb" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>. “The 0.05 blood alcohol limit has been in place for almost 38 years. There are no more excuses.” The blood alcohol limit (BAC) for full licence holders, car or riders, is under 0.05. For those driving public passenger vehicles, which includes buses and taxis, the limit is 0.02. Learner and P Plate drivers must have a BAC of zero. The same penalties, which is immediate loss of licence and the fine, will apply for those who are found with drugs in their systems while driving. However, this is only once lab analysis confirms the results. With around 68 people dying in alcohol-related crashes on NSW roads last year, the introduction of the steeper policy is aiming to reduce that number to zero.

Legal

Prince Philip surrenders his driver’s licence following dangerous car crash

After being involved in a car crash last month, Prince Philip has voluntarily surrendered his driver's licence. The Duke of Edinburgh caused an uproar after he was spotted behind the wheel shortly after the collision in last month without a seatbelt. The 97-year-old gave his licence up on Saturday according to Buckingham Palace. The crash left two women hospitalised after the Prince’s Land Rover collided with their vehicle on January 17. But despite issuing an apology to those affected, only 48 hours after the incident, the royal was pictured driving without a seatbelt. “After careful consideration, the Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence,” a statement from Buckingham Palace read. Philip pulled out onto a busy road, causing his car to flip over and crash into a Kia, which was carrying a 9-month-old child, his mother and another passenger. While the royal made it out unharmed, passenger Emma Fairweather wasn’t so lucky, as she broke her wrist and demanded for the Duke to be charged for negligent driving. According to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/" target="_blank">Sunday Mirror</a>, the Duke wished Ms Fairweather a “speedy recovery” and that he “failed to see the car coming” in a letter that was written to her on January 21. He faulted the bright sunlight for obscuring his vision, saying that he was “very contrite about the consequences”. Authorities revealed that they spoke to the Prince and gave him “suitable words of advice” and if necessary, “any appropriate action” would be taken. Norfolk Police released a statement on Saturday regarding the incident, saying that the matter “has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration”. Celebrity lawyer Nick Freeman said the royal could be charged with a hefty penalty for negligence. But according to another lawyer, he could avoid prosecution all together if he surrenders his right to drive. Despite handing over his licence, Prince Philip will still be allowed to drive around the grounds of the palace and other royal estates.

Legal

The easy way you could lose your driver's licence this Christmas

We’ve been told time and time again to put away our phones when behind the wheel, but it seems as if the message still isn’t hitting home with many drivers. With close to 850 people a week caught using their mobile phones while driving, over the Christmas period laws are about to get a whole lot tougher, with 10 demerit points added to your licence if you’re caught taking part in the illegal activity. Statistics show that 15 per cent of motorists are choosing not to follow the rules because they believe they won’t get caught, and in the last financial year, authorities saw a 20 per cent increase of people who use their phones while on the road. Australian police have handed out close to 42,000 fines regarding illegal mobile phone use. “If you get caught over the Christmas period and you’ve been caught before, you are almost certainly going to lose your licence,” said Peter Khoury, a spokesperson for the NRMA to <a rel="noopener" href="https://tendaily.com.au/news/australia/a181113npk/lose-10-demerit-points-if-you-use-your-phone-while-driving-this-christmas-20181114" target="_blank">10 News First</a>. “On top of all of that, the number of people being killed because of this behaviour is far too high,” he said. When looking at the numbers, it’s scary to see so many fatalities on the road being caused by mobile phone use – 1 in 15 to be exact. And that number keeps growing, despite campaigns and constant reminders for drivers to put their phones away. The risky habit has increased by 18 per cent since 2014-15. “There are more smartphones in this country per capita than anywhere else and we know that young people in particular are at risk. When you look at fatalities among young people, about 40 per cent are as a result of people using their phones,” said Mr Khoury. Mr Khoury has offered his advice for those that find it hard to ditch the habit. “If the temptation is too great, put the phone in the glove box. If you can reach the glove box, put it in the boot.” To combat the issue even further, new technology is currently being tested throughout NSW that gives police the opportunity to look inside people’s cars to see if they are using their mobile phones. The NRMA is on board with the initiative as long as it comes with warning signs. “Education … backed up by strong enforcement is the most effective way to stop people using their phones illegally behind the wheel,” said Mr Khoury. Depending on the state you live in, the consequences may differ. Most states introduce double demerits throughout the holiday period. Mobile phone use penalties per state: <ul> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au/stayingsafe/mobilephones/know-the-rules.html" target="_blank">New South Wales</a>: Five demerit points and a fine</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/driver-safety/mobile-phones-and-driving" target="_blank">Victoria</a>: Four demerit points and a $476 fine</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/safety/road-safety/mobile-phones" target="_blank">Queensland</a>: Three demerit points and a $391 fine</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rules/offences-and-penalties#summaryofoffences" target="_blank">South Australia</a>: Three demerit points and a $334 fine</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.rsc.wa.gov.au/Rules-Penalties/Browse/Mobile-Phones" target="_blank">Western Australia</a>: Three demerit points and a $400 fine</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.police.tas.gov.au/what-we-do/traffic-policing/traffic-tuesday/21-mobile-phones/" target="_blank">Tasmania</a>: Three demerit points and a $300 fine</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://police.act.gov.au/road-safety/safe-driving/driver-distraction" target="_blank">Australian Capital Territory</a>: Four demerit points and a $548 fine</li> <li><a rel="noopener" href="https://nt.gov.au/driving/driving-offences-and-penalties/traffic-offences-and-penalties" target="_blank">Northern Territory</a>: Three demerit points and a $250 fine</li> </ul>

Legal

The little-known offences that could see you lose your driver's licence

All drivers know that a sure-fire way to lose your licence is speeding and drink driving, but there are offences that could see you suspended. Drivers are not only responsible for themselves on the road, but they are responsible for the actions of their passengers. A driver can be slapped with a fine and lose demerit points if passengers are caught without their seatbelt on. In NSW, a driver with two or more passengers without a seatbelt can lose up to six demerit points or 12 during a double-demerit period. If there are four passengers in a vehicle without their seatbelts on, a driver could face fines of up to $1422. Using your mobile phone while driving is illegal across all states and territories in Australia and is another offence that could land you without a licence. Earlier this month, the penalty for the crime increased in NSW to five demerit points, or 10 during double-demerit periods. If you are caught using your phone in Victoria or the ACT, you could lose four demerit points. In Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory, motorists will attract a three-point deduction for the offence. Speeding will also result in a deduction of between one and eight demerit points depending on the amount the vehicle has gone over the speed limit. Driving with a device that detects or interferes with speed cameras, known as a ‘speed evasion article’, is also illegal and will result in a nine-demerit point deduction in NSW along with a $1757 fine. Motorbike riders are also responsible for themselves and any passengers not wearing a helmet and can face steep fines and demerit point reductions. Across all state and territories, L plate and P plate licence holders start with a lower amount of demerit points, so they can quickly lose their licence if they are caught breaking the law.

Legal

This Australian state is about to let you drive without a plastic photo licence

Most motorists wouldn’t dream of getting behind the wheel without their trusty driver’s licence, but this piece of plastic may soon be a thing of the past in one Australian state. <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph reports</a> drivers in NSW will be allowed to carry a digital licence on their smartphone under new laws that could see an end to physical licenses. The state government is set to introduce legislation to parliament over the next fortnight to put their plans to digitise licences and proof-of-age cards into law. “Smartphones have become de facto wallets and we’re using cutting-edge technology so that drivers can use a digital licence in everyday scenarios,” NSW Minister for Finance, Services and Property Victor Dominello said. The laws will make NSW the first state in Australia where drivers won’t be required to carry a plastic card. During the preliminary stages the smartphone ap will be opt-in only. What are your thoughts? Think this is a good move?

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