Wednesday 13 July 2011
Hansard of the Legislative Council

OLDER DRIVER LICENSING
Mr FINCH (Question) –
My question is to the Leader. In the discussion paper prepared by DIER, dated 19 August 2010, The Review of the Older Driver Licensing System in Tasmania' in respect of the annual mandatory licensing, the paper's executive summary says that based on evidence DIER believes that mandatory on-road driver assessments from the age of 85 years should cease. What progress has been made about changing that regulation?
Mr PARKINSON - I thank the honourable member for his question. I am wondering if he has a personal interest in the matter. A departmental minute has been prepared asking that the Minister for Infrastructure approve the alternative older driver licensing system final report which sets out the proposed older driver licensing system for Tasmania. The minister is considering the minute and the report and will be in a position to announce the system in the coming months. The older driver licensing review was in response to a report by the Anti-Discrimination Commissioner. As part of the review DIER released a discussion paper for public consultation in September 2010. A month-long public consultation process was held between 20 September and 18 October 2010, inviting input from the community into the review. Sixty-one submissions were received from external individuals and organisations along with stakeholders who were consulted prior to the public consultation stage. The report was developed taking into consideration these submissions and contemporary research.