Crisis63
New Member
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2011
- Messages
- 155
- Reaction score
- 1
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- Location
- Adelaide
- Members Ride
- Monaro CV8R, Landcruiser 100 Series 4.7L
State Cabinet will soon debate removing police officers' discretion to issue a caution for minor defects without issuing fines.
SA Police do not want to be forced to issue a minimum $125 fine for every minor defect, such as a blown bulb.
They now have the power to caution motorists and direct that defects are fixed immediately without a fine which, they say, engenders goodwill.
Budget papers show the Government expects to reap an estimated $7.88 million over three years from the move.
Cabinet must choose between a compromise deal worked out by the Transport Department and police, in which police would be allowed some discretion but the Government would receive less revenue, or agree to the original proposal to withdraw their discretion.
Spokespersons for the Transport Department, Treasury and Transport Minister Pat Conlon have denied the Government wanted to remove discretion from police but Transport Department chief Rod Hook admitted to the Budget and Finance Committee last month that this was the original proposal.
The government uses road safety as a form of revenue collection. This is no different. Good on those Police who are speaking up about this. Will every government vehicle that takes to the road with a blown globe also receive such fines?
It is also of no surprise to see the Minister for Transport is the same as the Minster for Treasury. Inextricably linked?
SA Police do not want to be forced to issue a minimum $125 fine for every minor defect, such as a blown bulb.
They now have the power to caution motorists and direct that defects are fixed immediately without a fine which, they say, engenders goodwill.
Budget papers show the Government expects to reap an estimated $7.88 million over three years from the move.
Cabinet must choose between a compromise deal worked out by the Transport Department and police, in which police would be allowed some discretion but the Government would receive less revenue, or agree to the original proposal to withdraw their discretion.
Spokespersons for the Transport Department, Treasury and Transport Minister Pat Conlon have denied the Government wanted to remove discretion from police but Transport Department chief Rod Hook admitted to the Budget and Finance Committee last month that this was the original proposal.
The government uses road safety as a form of revenue collection. This is no different. Good on those Police who are speaking up about this. Will every government vehicle that takes to the road with a blown globe also receive such fines?
It is also of no surprise to see the Minister for Transport is the same as the Minster for Treasury. Inextricably linked?
