Despite a Government assurance that police would exercise discretion, there's been a massive rise in the number of tickets issued to drivers for not carrying their licence, Labour police spokesperson George Hawkins said.

Before the Land Transport Act came into force on May 3rd, police were issuing on average 176 tickets a week for failing to carry a driver's licence. Since then, the rate has jumped to 463 per week.

"It's another clear indication that the word of this National Government cannot be trusted.

"Jenny Shipley, as Transport Minister in 1997, said that when new driver licences were introduced, there would be a period of grace before Police started fining motorists for not having their licence with them.

"This assurance was repeated by the current Transport Minister, Maurice Williamson. It can also be found on the Land Transport Safety Authority's web site.
"The Police will exercise discretion when enforcing this requirement… it is likely you will only get a verbal reminder of the law. The purpose of this law is not to create a new group of offenders out of otherwise law-abiding drivers."

"It seems that penalising drivers for the Government's introduction of a new licensing system is exactly what is happening," George Hawkins said.

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