Dunne: Driving age could have been sorted long ago

UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne says the Government has wasted a lot of time in coming up with its proposal regarding lifting the minimum driving age.

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

“That 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 beginning all over again, what’s more this could have been done years ago.”

Mr Dunne says he welcomes the Government’s road strategy as a positive step, but cannot understand why it is failing to acknowledge work already done on the driving age issue.

“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 and money in its duplication,” said Mr Dunne.

ENDS

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