'Stupid' to dump rego stickers
Article From The West Australian, Friday October 21, 2011.
A retiring magistrate has described the State Government's decision to scrap vehicle registration stickers as “a stupid idea” that has forced hundreds of people into the court system. Magistrate Wayne Tarr said that the $500,000 a year saving achieved by the Barnett Government in abolishing the stickers had not been worth the trouble.
He said it was an unnecessary “fundraising campaign”
Mr Tarr made his comments in Perth Magistrate court yesterday after sentencing a woman who forgot to pay her vehicle registration fees. “I have seen hundreds of similar situations (in the WA court system) where people have forgotten about their vehicle licence fees” Mr Tarr said.
Registration stickers were abolished on January 1 last year. Motorists still receive licence renewal notices in the mail. In announcing the move, Premier Colin Barnett said it was “an innovative approach to efficiency and saving”
WA police figures show the number of unlicensed motor vehicles detected on WA roads increased from 2680 in 2009 to 5137 last year. Transport Minister Troy Buswell said the increase in the numbers of unlicensed motor vehicles was because police cars were being fitted with more effective computer systems.
He said figures from the licensing office showed there has not been a significant change since registration stickers were abolished with only a 0.4 per cent increase in the number of people failing to re-register their motor vehicle from 2009 to 2010.
“I understand the concerns regarding motorists potentially driving an unlicensed vehicle” Mr Buswell said. “However, it is an owners responsibility to maintain their vehicle licence and third party insurance.”
Mr Buswell said the State Government was on track to save at least $2 million in printing and postage over four years by abolishing the stickers.
Mr Tarr’s comments were backed by shadow transport minister Ken Travers, who said drivers were being caught out. He said the stickers were a double check for motorists and the abolition of stickers was silly and unwarranted.
“This magistrate has seen the increase and I know of lots of justices of the peace who have seen a similar increase since the stickers went” Mr Travers said. Earlier this year, THE WEST AUSTRALIAN reported that car repairers have seen a dramatic increase in the number of unlicensed vehicles since the abolition of registration stickers.
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