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This page last updated Oct 29 2006
2006-0317 - NZ Government
- Land Transport Amendment Bill passed
The Minister for
Transport Safety, Hon Harry Duynhoven, today welcomed Parliament’s passing of
the Land Transport Amendment Bill last night under urgency. The legislation
will allow passenger service drivers who have had their passenger
endorsements expired due to convictions for comparatively minor sex offences
to apply to the Director of Land Transport to have their endorsements
reinstated.
2006-0316 - Newstalk
ZB - Parliament in urgency over bus driver laws
New Oct 29 2006
Parliament will go into urgency to right legislation that saw some bus
and taxi drivers lose their jobs. The change to the Transport Act meant
people with a criminal record were not allowed to hold a passenger licence. More
than 100 bus and taxi drivers lost their jobs for minor crimes or ones
several decades old
2006-0306 -
NZ Parliament - Land Transport Amendment Bill (pdf)
The amended legislation, fixing up the problems of the earlier version
2006-0216 - Maori Party -
Land Transport Amendment Act
by Te Ururoa Flavell, - the
Maori Party commends the Minister on having the courage to identify the error
of law-making; and the commitment demonstrated in following through to
address that error. It is an act of courage that we hope all Members of the
Government will learn from; and we look forward to supporting them in
addressing other errors of law-making that have appeared in this Parliament.
In fact, Mr Speaker we have a suggestion for their first priority. The
Foreshore and Seabed Bill is another example of a legal catastrophe that
immediately comes to mind, and this Bill provides a fantastic precedent
2006-0214 - NZ Herald -
U-turn on banned bus and taxi drivers
New Oct 29 2006
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.
2006-0214 - Newstalk ZB - MPs
urged to rush bus driver laws
New Oct 29 2006
Parliament is being urged to urgently pass legislation allowing bus
and taxi drivers who have been forced out of their jobs, back on the road. The
Transport Minister has announced that drivers who lost their jobs last month
because of previous sex crime convictions will be able to apply to transport
authorities for reinstatement. Some had complained that they were being
robbed of their livelihood because of minor indiscretions when they were
teenagers
2006-0214 - Dominion Post -
Law change provides hope to sacked drivers
New Oct 29 2006
by Vernon Small and Chalpat Sonti - Bus and taxi drivers who lost their passenger licences –
and in some cases their jobs – because of past criminal convictions will be
offered a reprieve under a proposed law change. The change has been met with
cautious optimism by Dunedin bus driver Lloyd Walsh, whose case first
highlighted the anomaly in the law. The Land Transport Act, which took effect
last month, prevented those convicted of murder, sexual offences punishable
by seven or more years in jail and specific violent offences from holding a
passenger service vehicle (P endorsement) licence.
2006-0214 - Newstalk ZB -
Minister admits lawmaking mistakes happen
New Oct 29 2006
The Transport Minister admits that Parliament sometimes makes mistakes
when it comes to lawmaking. Legislation will be tabled this week to adjust a
botched amendment to the Transport Act that has forced people out of their
jobs
2006-0213 - One News - Driver
licence changes to be amended
New Oct 29 2006
The government is moving to amend legislation it passed last year that
has suspended the licences of bus and taxi drivers for historic sexual and
violent offences. The new regulations, which came into force in January, are
intended to ban people who have committed serious crimes from holding
licenses to carry passengers. Almost 300 drivers were affected. But drivers
who have committed low-level sexual offences, such as having sex with a minor
when they were also very young, have also been affected and the Minister for
Transport Safety Harry Duynhoven has indicated the law would be tweaked
2006-0213 - Ministry
Justice - Land Transport Amendment Bill
Legal Advice to Attorney General - The purpose of the Bill is to amend
the unintended implications of sections 29A and 29B of the Land Transport Act
2005, which came into force on 16 January 2006. Section 29A prohibits people
convicted of murder, sexual offences punishable by 7 or more years’ imprisonment,
and specified serious violent offences from holding or applying for a licence
to drive a passenger service vehicle (a P endorsement) such as a bus or taxi.
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