❓ Mr. Johnson questions the Minister for Road Safety regarding support for his private member's bill proposing lifetime driving bans for drunk/drugged drivers who cause fatal accidents. The Minister acknowledges the bill's intent but cites potential flaws and ongoing assessment.
AnsweredQoN 417Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD
TRAFFIC LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (DISQUALIFICATION FOR LIFE) BILL 2016
417. Mr R.F. JOHNSON to the
Minister for Road Safety:
Can I just acknowledge the presence in the Speaker's
gallery of Catherine and Michelle Roberts, the daughters of Martin Roberts, who
was tragically killed by a drunk driver last year. Given that alcohol, along
with drugs, is one of the main causes of deaths on Western Australian roads,
will the minister and the Liberal Party support the private member's
bill that I introduced to the house last week that would see drink and drug
drivers who are convicted of killing an innocent person on our roads lose their
driver's licence for life; and, if not, why not?
TRAFFIC LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (DISQUALIFICATION FOR LIFE) BILL 2016
417. Mr R.F. JOHNSON to the
Minister for Road Safety:
Can I just acknowledge the presence in the Speaker's
gallery of Catherine and Michelle Roberts, the daughters of Martin Roberts, who
was tragically killed by a drunk driver last year. Given that alcohol, along
with drugs, is one of the main causes of deaths on Western Australian roads,
will the minister and the Liberal Party support the private member's
bill that I introduced to the house last week that would see drink and drug
drivers who are convicted of killing an innocent person on our roads lose their
driver's licence for life; and, if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Hillarys for the question and I acknowledge
the presence of the Martin girls in the gallery. Their father was an integral
member of —
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Their name is Roberts, not Martin.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Sorry; Martin Roberts. Thank you.
Martin was a wonderful person and he was a very big part of
the Innaloo Sportsmen's Club, a club that I have a great deal to do
with. Martin himself was responsible for ensuring that people got home safely
from that club if they had had too much to drink. That was pretty much his
commitment to that community. He is a very big loss to our community.
With respect to the legislation, member for Hillarys, we are
assessing it at the moment. It looks to me as though there are some significant
flaws in that legislation. We absolutely acknowledge the intent that the member
is trying to achieve, but as to whether we can support it in its current form,
we have not made a decision at this point in time. I am receiving advice from
the State Solicitor's Office. When it is brought up for debate during
private members' time, if we need to amend that legislation to make it
workable, we will speak to the member about that at that time. Obviously, it
will be debated thoroughly in due course in this place.
the presence of the Martin girls in the gallery. Their father was an integral
member of —
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Their name is Roberts, not Martin.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Sorry; Martin Roberts. Thank you.
Martin was a wonderful person and he was a very big part of
the Innaloo Sportsmen's Club, a club that I have a great deal to do
with. Martin himself was responsible for ensuring that people got home safely
from that club if they had had too much to drink. That was pretty much his
commitment to that community. He is a very big loss to our community.
With respect to the legislation, member for Hillarys, we are
assessing it at the moment. It looks to me as though there are some significant
flaws in that legislation. We absolutely acknowledge the intent that the member
is trying to achieve, but as to whether we can support it in its current form,
we have not made a decision at this point in time. I am receiving advice from
the State Solicitor's Office. When it is brought up for debate during
private members' time, if we need to amend that legislation to make it
workable, we will speak to the member about that at that time. Obviously, it
will be debated thoroughly in due course in this place.
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