Hon Simon O'Brien questions the Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure regarding discrepancies in reported waiting times for practical driving tests at metropolitan licensing centres, alleging potential misleading information.

AnsweredQoN 795Legislative Council
Asked
21 September 2006
Portfolio
Planning and Infrastructure

QuestionView source ↗

DRIVING TESTS - WAITING TIME
I refer to my question without notice 167 of 11 April this year, when I asked - What is the current waiting time for persons seeking to take practical driving tests at metropolitan licensing centres? The answer I received was, 5.2 weeks, or 26 working days. (1) In view of the admission in response to another question asked on Tuesday, 19 September that the earliest time a person could, on 15 September, book a practical driving test would be 5 February 2007 at Willagee, 11 December 2006 at Rockingham and 20 January 2007 at Kelmscott - (a) what is the reason for this dramatic discrepancy; (b) has the typical waiting period blown out dramatically in the past few months; (c) was the response on 11 April factually incorrect; and (d) was the response of 11 April intended to mislead? (2) What is the current waiting time for persons seeking to take practical driving tests at metropolitan licensing centres? The PRESIDENT :  I note the use of the phrase “intended to mislead” towards the end of the question, and I do not think that is an appropriate use of words in a question. Hon ADELE FARINA

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.  The Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure has provided the following answer - The Department of Planning and Infrastructure advises as follows - (1) (a)-(b) The answer has already been provided in the minister’s previous response. (c)-(d) No. (2) As at 21 September 2006, the wait until the earliest available booking is: Welshpool, 1.6 weeks; Kelmscott, 2.4 weeks; City West, 2.2 weeks; Joondalup, 13 weeks; Morley, 13 weeks; Midland, 0.4 weeks; Willagee, 22 weeks; Rockingham, 11.8 weeks; and Mandurah, 9.6 weeks.  The metropolitan average is 8.4 weeks.
(1) In view of the admission in response to another question asked on Tuesday, 19 September that the earliest time a person could, on 15 September, book a practical driving test would be 5 February 2007 at Willagee, 11 December 2006 at Rockingham and 20 January 2007 at Kelmscott - (a) what is the reason for this dramatic discrepancy; (b) has the typical waiting period blown out dramatically in the past few months; (c) was the response on 11 April factually incorrect; and (d) was the response of 11 April intended to mislead? (2) What is the current waiting time for persons seeking to take practical driving tests at metropolitan licensing centres? The PRESIDENT :  I note the use of the phrase “intended to mislead” towards the end of the question, and I do not think that is an appropriate use of words in a question. Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.  The Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure has provided the following answer - The Department of Planning and Infrastructure advises as follows - (1) (a)-(b) The answer has already been provided in the minister’s previous response. (c)-(d) No. (2) As at 21 September 2006, the wait until the earliest available booking is: Welshpool, 1.6 weeks; Kelmscott, 2.4 weeks; City West, 2.2 weeks; Joondalup, 13 weeks; Morley, 13 weeks; Midland, 0.4 weeks; Willagee, 22 weeks; Rockingham, 11.8 weeks; and Mandurah, 9.6 weeks.  The metropolitan average is 8.4 weeks.
(b) has the typical waiting period blown out dramatically in the past few months; (c) was the response on 11 April factually incorrect; and (d) was the response of 11 April intended to mislead?
(c) was the response on 11 April factually incorrect; and (d) was the response of 11 April intended to mislead?
(d) was the response of 11 April intended to mislead?
The PRESIDENT :  I note the use of the phrase “intended to mislead” towards the end of the question, and I do not think that is an appropriate use of words in a question. Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.  The Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure has provided the following answer - The Department of Planning and Infrastructure advises as follows - (1) (a)-(b) The answer has already been provided in the minister’s previous response. (c)-(d) No. (2) As at 21 September 2006, the wait until the earliest available booking is: Welshpool, 1.6 weeks; Kelmscott, 2.4 weeks; City West, 2.2 weeks; Joondalup, 13 weeks; Morley, 13 weeks; Midland, 0.4 weeks; Willagee, 22 weeks; Rockingham, 11.8 weeks; and Mandurah, 9.6 weeks.  The metropolitan average is 8.4 weeks.
Hon ADELE FARINA replied: I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.  The Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure has provided the following answer - The Department of Planning and Infrastructure advises as follows - (1) (a)-(b) The answer has already been provided in the minister’s previous response. (c)-(d) No. (2) As at 21 September 2006, the wait until the earliest available booking is: Welshpool, 1.6 weeks; Kelmscott, 2.4 weeks; City West, 2.2 weeks; Joondalup, 13 weeks; Morley, 13 weeks; Midland, 0.4 weeks; Willagee, 22 weeks; Rockingham, 11.8 weeks; and Mandurah, 9.6 weeks.  The metropolitan average is 8.4 weeks.
I thank the honourable member for some notice of this question.  The Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure has provided the following answer - The Department of Planning and Infrastructure advises as follows - (1) (a)-(b) The answer has already been provided in the minister’s previous response. (c)-(d) No. (2) As at 21 September 2006, the wait until the earliest available booking is: Welshpool, 1.6 weeks; Kelmscott, 2.4 weeks; City West, 2.2 weeks; Joondalup, 13 weeks; Morley, 13 weeks; Midland, 0.4 weeks; Willagee, 22 weeks; Rockingham, 11.8 weeks; and Mandurah, 9.6 weeks.  The metropolitan average is 8.4 weeks.
The Department of Planning and Infrastructure advises as follows - (1) (a)-(b) The answer has already been provided in the minister’s previous response. (c)-(d) No. (2) As at 21 September 2006, the wait until the earliest available booking is: Welshpool, 1.6 weeks; Kelmscott, 2.4 weeks; City West, 2.2 weeks; Joondalup, 13 weeks; Morley, 13 weeks; Midland, 0.4 weeks; Willagee, 22 weeks; Rockingham, 11.8 weeks; and Mandurah, 9.6 weeks.  The metropolitan average is 8.4 weeks.
(1) (a)-(b) The answer has already been provided in the minister’s previous response. (c)-(d) No. (2) As at 21 September 2006, the wait until the earliest available booking is: Welshpool, 1.6 weeks; Kelmscott, 2.4 weeks; City West, 2.2 weeks; Joondalup, 13 weeks; Morley, 13 weeks; Midland, 0.4 weeks; Willagee, 22 weeks; Rockingham, 11.8 weeks; and Mandurah, 9.6 weeks.  The metropolitan average is 8.4 weeks.

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