|
|
|
||
|
|
|||
|
The Government is
moving to change a law that has caused some taxi and bus drivers to put their
jobs on hold because of minor, historic sex convictions. Transport Safety
Minister Harry Duynhoven said 162 drivers have not been able to carry
passengers since changes to the Land Transport Act came into effect last
month. The changes prevent
people convicted of murder, sexual offences punishable by seven or more
years' imprisonment or serious violent offences from holding P (passenger)
endorsement licences. Between 40 and 50
people complained, saying their decades-old convictions were trivial and
their records otherwise unblemished. Among them was a
Dunedin man who, 34 years ago when he was 16, had had sex with his girlfriend
two days short of her 16th birthday. The new proposal
assumes the net was cast too wide and would give the Director of Land
Transport the power to reinstate passenger licences to drivers where
appropriate. "We want to make
sure the Act allows people to continue their employment as passenger service
drivers without compromising public safety and security," Mr Duynhoven
said. John Collyns, executive
director for the Bus and Coach Association, supported the proposal but was
concerned the process might take too long. "Some drivers and
businesses have been seriously disadvantaged and are suffering. I know one
operator whose business is on hold, and if he doesn't get his licence back
soon, he'll have to fold his business." The new bill is due for
its first reading in Parliament this week and if it passes will go to select
committee for three weeks. It could be passed into
law as soon as next month. Mr Duynhoven said he
would urge Parliament and the select committee to consider that some drivers
had been out of work for a month. National transport
spokesman Maurice Williamson conceded some of those caught in the net should
be allowed to hold passenger licences. But he was worried the
change would permit all parties, including murderers and rapists, to appeal
to the Director of Land Transport. |
