The Ayes are 57. The Noes are 67.
the Noes are 63. The motion is not agreed to. Call on Members' Order of
the Day, no.5. Land Transport
(Random Oral
Amendment Bill, first reading.
Alastair Scott. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Speaker. I move that the Land Transport
Testing) Amendment Bill be now read a first time, and I nominate the
Justice Committee to consider the bill.
bill. Madam Speaker, it
is a privilege to rise
rise and introduce this significant and timely bill to
the House. A study
study by the Automobile Association, published in June ofthis
published in June of this year, showed
are now involved in more fatal crashes on
crashes on our roads than drink drivers.
drivers. Madam Speaker, this bill introduces
introduces a random roadside drug testing
testing and will provide the police with the power to test
any driver, any rider or any supervised
licence holder at any time. It fits
neatly into Minister Genter's
ambitious target of zero road fatalities.
The
The purpose of the bill is to
that motorists who take drugs and drive can be easily detected at the
roadside and penalised accordingly.
The law currently stipulates that it
is a driver's responsibility and duty to be
mentally and physically fit when
fit when they drive a motor vehicle
being impaired by alcohol or drugs. This bill is about saving lives.
Saving family and friend from the grief of losing a
loved one. Preventing serious injuries.
Preventing destroyed lives.
And to form part of the solution in how a
society tackles
society tackles the complacency of some who use drugs and then drive.
introduced in New Zealand. 2,228 drivers were tested
with this new gadget.
gadget. Only 214 were deemed sober enough to
enough to drive. New Zealand had a serious drink driving culture and it
was not uncommon for our
drivers to engage in
engage in this dangerous and
lowered and evidential
1979 there was a substantial drop in the
the New Zealand road fatality statistic.
statistic. Now, not
Now, not all the road safety success can
can be attributed to random
new testing and road safety education, coupled
education, coupled with compulsory seatbelts
seatbelts for children changed the New
New Zealand road safety record significantly.
significantly. In 1996, New Zealand ran a very
successful advertising campaign featuring
you drink and drive, you're a bloody
for 1996 was 515, which was the lowest number in 32 years.
Education and awareness are
key elements in changing culture.
changing culture. Overtime, I think we can all agree that
the impact on society of random
roadside alcohol testing, combined
testing, combined with the targeted education
education campaigns, has had a profound effect on
roads. The aim of
The aim ofthis drug driving bill is to have a similar
lives. My hope is that by engaging the community
the community in a highly visible drug
drug driving campaign, reinforced by this
this new deterrent of a random roadside
roadside drug test, similar to our alcohol
alcohol testing, people will think before
before getting behind the wheel. It is
is time for us to work together towards changing a
culture of indifference by
indifference by those that use drugs and then drive.
The incidence of drug
The incidence ofdrug driving in New Zealand is startling.
The recent study
study by the Automobile Association in
in June found 79 drivers who were involved in fatal
crashes last year tested positive for
drugs, compared to
legal alcohol limit. So this is the first time that drugs have overtaken
alcohol in this statistic. In 2013 the number of
drivers involved in fatal crashes was just
53 that were intoxicated with alcohol. The numbers of the
fatal crashes has steadily increased since
since 2013. In 2014, it was reported that
since 2013. In 2014, it was reported
users of drugs, drive. So almost half
half of casual users of drugs drive. A survey of the effect
of drugs on driver
driver behaviour undertaken by the New
New Zealand Drug Foundation in 2009 found
New Zealand Drug Foundation in 2009
users, nearly half of methamphetamine users
methamphetamine users and a quarter of
of ectasy users reported driving under
under the influence. But these statistics
statistics are not a complete surprise. The issue has been
bubbling away in
our communities for years, and all
have previously acknowledged it as a problem, and it is time
take action and instigate change. Our police need access to stronger
and more visible drug driving enforcement
enforcement measures. We need to change
ago. Currently, if police have reasonable cause,
reasonable cause, and they must have reasonable
reasonable cause, to suspect a driver
driver is impaired by drugs, they can ask a person to
complete a behavioural test, such as
walking heel to toe, in
a straight line, and turning and standing
on one leg. I'm not
turning and standing on one leg. I'm notjoking, that is the test.
Failing that
Failing that archaic test, the driver
driver must complete a drug test. This
This bill will allow a police officer to
officer to stop and drug test any driver who
driver who is driving a motor vehicle,
vehicle, motorbike, truck or bus, without first needing to
reasonable cause to suspect the reasonable
driver had used drugs. The bill allows for the testing of
the presence of
presence of three types of drugs in oral fluid. The
three drugs named in the bill are THC, MDMA,
oral fluid. The three drugs named in the bill are THC, MDMA, or ectasy,
and methamphetamine. These drugs
impact the skill and
judgement required for
impact the skill and judgement required for safe driving.
In my
required for safe driving.
across the others and others in community groups, I am pleased the
report there is support for this
bill. Positive
chang
changes have been made to this bill and
and welcome these discussions and get them into
the select committee. Questions like should the testing
include a wider
there better technology currently
aware of technology that allows sweat
sweat to be tested from the palm of one's hand. Then
the question is if a drug
tolerance level has is appropriate or
or acceptable, similar to our allowable
allowable limits for alcohol. Should there be an allowable limit for
questions, challenges and opportunities for improvement will
be explored in the
select committee stage. In many of our
work places nowadays we test
safety concerns. BELL
BELL RUNG For example, when
operating heavy machinery,
processing equipment we all understand
understand and accept that notion that we need to keep
people safe at work,
work, free from drug affected colleagues. But we
don't yet have an effective
effective drug testing regime to ensure
ensure we are all safer on our roads.
roads. Of course, the introduction of
of random roadside drug testing alone
alone will not stop drug driving. However,
would have noticed recent and very
message to the public that it is not OK to take drugs
and drive. It is time that drugged drivers
twice before getting behind the wheel. The intention
wheel. The intention of this bill is not to be an
legislation. It is about road safety,
safety, education, and compelling those who
those who use drugs to stay off the road. I believe
in the strength of our
our legislative development process and I'm certain
Transport (Random Oral Fluid Testing)
Testing) Amendment Bill legislation that is passed will go a
long way in come patting drug driving.
This bill will
will directly address the growing incidents
accidents and fatalities. The current law and enforcement measures
current law and enforcement measures do not effectively deter drug users
from driving while impaired.
If drug users think twice
and are deterred from driving by the
fear of detection, we will
detection, we will save lives. Roadside
Roadside drug testing of drivers is justified in the
interests of reducing
reducing fatalities, and serious injuries on
injuries on our roads. I thank all those
those who have contributed and commented
commented positively and I commend this bill to the House.
I call the Hon Phil Twyford. Thank you.
Alastair Scott has identified
a senous
serious problem but in the view of Labour members