Dunne: Government wasting time over driving age

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says the Government has wasted a lot of time in deciding to lift the minimum driving age, considering his own legislation is sitting in select committee ready to go.

“The Government’s proposals simply duplicate my own Bill to lift the minimum driving age to 16 years. It would also have meant the age for obtaining a full licence would be pushed out to 18.5 years,” said Mr Dunne.

“My Bill was introduced to Parliament as a government bill with unanimous support in October 2007 and still sits before the Transport Select Committee.”

“The Government could proceed with my Bill now, rather than waiting until the end of the year.”

Mr Dunne says he welcomes the Government’s road strategy as a positive step, but cannot understand why it has not already got runs on the board by adopting his Bill.

“If the Government was really serious about the driving age, it would have accepted my invitation months ago to accelerate my Bill, rather than spending valuable time duplicating the work already done,” said Mr Dunne.

ENDS

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