Need for national licencing/rego
Submitted: Monday, May 05, 2008 at 11:59
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Member - Barnesy
Gday, honestly how dumb is the current system of state-by-state licencing and registration? Just found out last night that after living in a different state for only 3 months you need to change your licence over and re-register your car. This involves buying new rego, new plates, getting a mechanic to inspect the car and applying for a refund for any outstanding rego from the previous state!
Then when you move back you have to go through the whole drama again!
With the ever increasing numbers of people travelling interstate for work surely it is just a waste of everybody's time, money and effort to continue with the current system. Each motor reg place in the country can be connected with internet now. It would make a lot more sense to have a national system. Or at least make it longer, such as 2 years rather than 3 months.
Anyway my 2c
Barnesy
Reply By: Notso - Monday, May 05, 2008 at 12:52
Monday, May 05, 2008 at 12:52
If you think rego and licencing is a problem spare a thought for the businesses that are spread across Aus.
They have 9 different jurisdictions to work in, at least 9 health and safety Acts, lord knows how many other pieces of state legislation.
It's about time we did something about it but the big problem is we are a Federation of Sovereign States and even though they have ceded some of their powers, eg defence and customs etc, they still like their little bit of parochial power.
We have as many people as the worlds largest city. Of course we are spread over the worlds 5th largest land mass so I suppose we need a few extra pogos to run the place.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Barnesy - Monday, May 05, 2008 at 15:09
Monday, May 05, 2008 at 15:09
Oz has a similar
population to new
york city with a land mass the size of the whole US which does create problems. Even so it really wouldn't be hard for each state to be connected via internet, with a nationally recognised set of guidelines. When moving around just let each state know when you come and go etc etc.
It would be a pain in the bum for businesses. There still does need to be some sort of local influence in final decision making. But having similar guidelins for all states and territories would be better for all.
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Reply By: Member - Hughesy (NSW) - Monday, May 05, 2008 at 19:05
Monday, May 05, 2008 at 19:05
Couldn't agree more Barnesy. I work in the mining industry and have shifted into different states 8 times in 6 years. I used a relatives address in QLD (
my home state) for about 5 years for rego but changed Licence when ever my current one ran out. Changing Licences is easy - no change in money, they just adopt the original expiry date.
The chances of you being found out for being in a state for more than 3 months is negligable - unless you get pulled over by the cops regulary for doing the wrong thing. I've lived in towns with a poulation of less than 5000 for over 12 months and never even been pulled over let alone given a warning. In a capital city you have buckly's chance of being noticed.
I've only just changed my SA rego over to NSW even though I've been here for 11 months because I know now that I will be staying in NSW for atleast a couple of years.
You should try changing your shooters licence over between states....now that is a head foc!!!
I've got a
young family and as someone else mentioned education is a joke too. Leave grade 1 in one state mid year and go into grade 2 at the next state (or vice versa)........just STUPID.
All I can say is that neither you or I will be around by the time the states agree on any of this!!
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Follow Up By: Member - Matt M (ACT) - Monday, May 05, 2008 at 20:43
Monday, May 05, 2008 at 20:43
As a Defence family Hughesy, I hear what you say.
It is interesting though that the States managed to agree (some time ago) on a system for deucting points from interstate licences for traffic offences.
Matt.
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Follow Up By: Member - Davoe (Yalgoo) - Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 09:27
Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 09:27
Hughsey more likley than youd think. WA coppers frequently pull people over for liscense checks and i was questioned numerous times about my SA plated vehicle. I would also show my SA liscense (I had both) and claim I was a tourist. I was busted once when they found my minesite entry card on the dash (let me off telling me to change rego). - And no on no occasion was i doing the wrong thing. In towns like Kal they are pretty on to that due to all the interstaters
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Reply By: Wayne's 60 - Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 01:51
Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 01:51
G'day Barnsey,
It won't be a problem for too much longer............
After Uncle Kev (I'm great in 08) regulates the transport industry into a national body, takes over the state health system (a warning given after the election that he would take over if the states couldn't get their act into gear and sort their problems out)
over-rides the state school administrators and impliments a Nation curriculum and standardises school holidays, has one Australian time zone (with daylight saving) etc, etc............
Do you really think that a nation vehicle registration system will be a problem?? LOL!
Cheers,
Wayne.
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Reply By: Kumunara (NT) - Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 08:52
Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 08:52
Barnesy
It is the result of our political system. It is not just your driver's licence and rego. It is a system of inefficiencies and red tape, with Federal and State Governments duplicating services.
Each state has its own laws. Howard whilst in Govt.... tried to get agreements in a lot of areas from all the states to have some uniform laws. Hence the Australian Road Rules.
A Rhodes Scholar named Bob Hawke when doing his thesis put forward the idea of changing the Australian Political System to a Federal Government and Larger Councils. The current powers of the States would be divided between the councils and the Federal Government.
When he became Prime Minister he didn't attempt to change the political system.
To do this would mean a successful referendum. We don't have them in
Australia because people are afraid of change. The politicians would not support it because it would mean having themselves voted out of a job.
We continue to have the largest number of politicians per head of capita in the world.
Tjilpi
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 13:47
Tuesday, May 06, 2008 at 13:47
Damn................we used to be the third not so long back.
Next time we have a 20 million budget surplus, I want my million, a free and freely given passport, as should be my right as a 5th gen aussie and I'm out of here.
Would rather go to a tinpot country and accept it for what it is, than continue watching the downhill slide here.
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Follow Up By: Member - Barnesy - Wednesday, May 07, 2008 at 11:55
Wednesday, May 07, 2008 at 11:55
Kumunara, I have a nationally recognised (sorry internationally recognised) university degree and qualifications but a state by state recognised practising certificate.
I'm currently working interstate in WA but need to keep this practising certificate updated as well as my old one from SA. If the SA one lapses it means 10 times the headaches when I want to work in SA again. This means 2 lots of fees, 2 lots of paperwork, 2 lots of red tape and 3 times the pains in the bum each year!
I don't see how Hawkes idea on the 2 tier system would work, we still need the 3 tiered but with more communication and collaboration between each of these states. We still need some local influence on a larger scale than just local councils. Long distance communication is so easy nowadays that there is no excuse for governments at all levels not to collaborate more.
But then I suppose a polly is still a polly.........
Barnesy
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