❓ Mr. Abetz asks about the proposed alcohol interlock scheme. Mrs. Harvey outlines the scheme's operation, targeting high-risk drink drivers and repeat offenders, involving licence cancellation, interlock device installation, and monitoring with intervention programs.
AnsweredQoN 900Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ALCOHOL INTERLOCK DEVICES — GOVERNMENT
STRATEGY
900. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for
Police:
I was pleased to hear the
announcement that the government is proposing an alcohol interlock scheme for
our state. Can the minister please outline how the proposed alcohol interlock
scheme will work in Western Australia?
STRATEGY
900. Mr P. ABETZ to the Minister for
Police:
I was pleased to hear the
announcement that the government is proposing an alcohol interlock scheme for
our state. Can the minister please outline how the proposed alcohol interlock
scheme will work in Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Southern River for the question and
for his interest in road safety matters in Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : This is a very important part of our repeat drink-driver
strategy in Western Australia.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I appreciate the high level of interest in this aspect of our
repeat drink-driver strategy. I am talking about the alcohol interlock device
strategy today, member for Girrawheen.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Why does the member not ask a question?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the third time.
Minister, can you answer the question. Member for Girrawheen, if you interject
again, I am going to have you leave the chamber.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : To answer the member for Southern River's question,
the alcohol interlock device is a very good system that we will put in place.
It requires legislative and regulatory amendment, and I will bring that
legislation forward in the first session of Parliament next year.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You've said that before.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The member for Midland can interject if she chooses. She said that she was
going to do this in 2004. I have been in the seat since 2012 and it is coming,
member for Midland; I am going to do it.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland!
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I do not want to hear any more interjections;
I want to hear the answer to the question. Member for Midland, I call you for
the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : For the interest of members in the house, offenders who have
been convicted of a high-end offence such as driving under the influence,
refusal to give a breath test, a .15 or above drink-driving offence, or
dangerous driving causing death or injury will be automatically included in the
alcohol interlock scheme. Drivers who have two excess .05 offences within a
five-year period will also be included in the interlock device scheme. We will
change the legislation so that drivers who fall under those categories will
have their licences cancelled. When they reapply for a driver's licence
and their authority to drive, a condition of that licence will be the
requirement to have an interlock device fitted to their vehicle. Drivers will
need to blow into the interlock device and they will need to have a blood
alcohol concentration of less than .02 in order to start their vehicle. They
will get a number of chances at starting their vehicle; and, if they persist in
trying to drive —
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : If they persist in trying to drive the vehicle when their
reading is in excess of .02, they could potentially be locked out of their
vehicle and they will need a technician to start the car for them. The reason
we have taken this approach is that we want to interrupt the pattern of
offending with drinking and driving. We know that we need to interrupt the
behaviour of recidivist drivers and stop them from starting their motor vehicle
and driving. We know that if we get those drivers off the road, the community
will win as a result of them not putting the rest of the community at risk.
There has been a significant focus on the tragic outcomes of the actions of
irresponsible drink-drivers in Western Australia in recent times.
I would like to highlight some of
the other aspects of the system. Member for Midland, there will be a monthly
download process of the data contained in the interlock devices. If a driver
has made a number of attempts at starting their vehicle when they exceed .02,
that information will be relayed to the Department of Transport and those
drivers will be referred to drug and alcohol intervention sessions to give them
some assistance in trying to get to the core of their offending behaviour.
Altogether drink-driving —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Recidivist drink-drivers are a scourge on the community and
they put all members of the community at significant risk.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Before the member for Midland starts —
The
SPEAKER : No. Member for Midland, you are skating on thin ice as well; do
not interject again. Please answer through the Chair, minister.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
think some of the comments that are made about drink-driving in this place are
unfortunate. Before members start to make comments about who may or may not be
included in the scheme, it would be timely for people to remind themselves that
they need two excess .05 drink-driving offences to qualify for an interlock
device. To my knowledge, there is no-one on the Liberal–National side
of government who may be included in this scheme. In spite of the opposition
making light of a very important step in trying to remove the scourge of
drink-driving from our roads, I am very pleased to say that we have made
significant progress and the Liberal–National government remains
committed to ensuring that we interrupt this drink-driving behaviour for the
benefit of the community of Western Australia.
for his interest in road safety matters in Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : This is a very important part of our repeat drink-driver
strategy in Western Australia.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the second time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I appreciate the high level of interest in this aspect of our
repeat drink-driver strategy. I am talking about the alcohol interlock device
strategy today, member for Girrawheen.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Why does the member not ask a question?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Girrawheen, I call you to order for the third time.
Minister, can you answer the question. Member for Girrawheen, if you interject
again, I am going to have you leave the chamber.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : To answer the member for Southern River's question,
the alcohol interlock device is a very good system that we will put in place.
It requires legislative and regulatory amendment, and I will bring that
legislation forward in the first session of Parliament next year.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
You've said that before.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
The member for Midland can interject if she chooses. She said that she was
going to do this in 2004. I have been in the seat since 2012 and it is coming,
member for Midland; I am going to do it.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland!
Mrs
M.H. Roberts interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I do not want to hear any more interjections;
I want to hear the answer to the question. Member for Midland, I call you for
the first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : For the interest of members in the house, offenders who have
been convicted of a high-end offence such as driving under the influence,
refusal to give a breath test, a .15 or above drink-driving offence, or
dangerous driving causing death or injury will be automatically included in the
alcohol interlock scheme. Drivers who have two excess .05 offences within a
five-year period will also be included in the interlock device scheme. We will
change the legislation so that drivers who fall under those categories will
have their licences cancelled. When they reapply for a driver's licence
and their authority to drive, a condition of that licence will be the
requirement to have an interlock device fitted to their vehicle. Drivers will
need to blow into the interlock device and they will need to have a blood
alcohol concentration of less than .02 in order to start their vehicle. They
will get a number of chances at starting their vehicle; and, if they persist in
trying to drive —
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : If they persist in trying to drive the vehicle when their
reading is in excess of .02, they could potentially be locked out of their
vehicle and they will need a technician to start the car for them. The reason
we have taken this approach is that we want to interrupt the pattern of
offending with drinking and driving. We know that we need to interrupt the
behaviour of recidivist drivers and stop them from starting their motor vehicle
and driving. We know that if we get those drivers off the road, the community
will win as a result of them not putting the rest of the community at risk.
There has been a significant focus on the tragic outcomes of the actions of
irresponsible drink-drivers in Western Australia in recent times.
I would like to highlight some of
the other aspects of the system. Member for Midland, there will be a monthly
download process of the data contained in the interlock devices. If a driver
has made a number of attempts at starting their vehicle when they exceed .02,
that information will be relayed to the Department of Transport and those
drivers will be referred to drug and alcohol intervention sessions to give them
some assistance in trying to get to the core of their offending behaviour.
Altogether drink-driving —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Recidivist drink-drivers are a scourge on the community and
they put all members of the community at significant risk.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Before the member for Midland starts —
The
SPEAKER : No. Member for Midland, you are skating on thin ice as well; do
not interject again. Please answer through the Chair, minister.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : I
think some of the comments that are made about drink-driving in this place are
unfortunate. Before members start to make comments about who may or may not be
included in the scheme, it would be timely for people to remind themselves that
they need two excess .05 drink-driving offences to qualify for an interlock
device. To my knowledge, there is no-one on the Liberal–National side
of government who may be included in this scheme. In spite of the opposition
making light of a very important step in trying to remove the scourge of
drink-driving from our roads, I am very pleased to say that we have made
significant progress and the Liberal–National government remains
committed to ensuring that we interrupt this drink-driving behaviour for the
benefit of the community of Western Australia.
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