From Hardon’s Blog:
Tens of thousands more Victorians each year stand to lose their drivers’ licences under a new law police are vowing to exercise in court.
Sweeping legal changes which came into effect on September 30 allow courts to suspend or cancel the licence of any person convicted or found guilty of any offence – regardless of whether that offence has anything to do with driving.
Victoria Police has exclusively revealed to the Herald Sun that it will seek to use the new powers in up to 50,000 court cases each year.
It has already briefed its prosecutors on the law.
“If you’re convicted or found guilty of any offence, a court may suspend or cancel and disqualify your licence,” said Acting Senior Sergeant Richard Bowers, of the Victoria Police Prosecution Division.
“The legislation does not govern or put a limiting factor on which cases it applies to. It’s any offence, and it’s completely open to the magistrate as to whether or not they impose it.
“Unless a superior court gets hold of one of these cases and says ‘Well, this is an inappropriate exercise of discretion,’ it will remain open for use for a magistrate to use in any way they see fit.”
John Hardon’s blog is back by the way!!
Yes folks, this is fucking insane. I heard this story on the Jew TV the other day, but I forgot about it until now. I’m glad I don’t live in Victoria!
All is not good in South Australia though…. Some extremely annoying “police state” style speed cameras have just been switched on to catch unsuspecting motorists on our main freeway into Adelaide. The speed limit signs are the electronic sort, so this means that they can be adjusted and directly tied into the speed camera system instantly. Fucking great eh. Not only are they clocking everyone’s instantaneous speed, but also doing “point-to-point” average speed too….. Is this really about safety, or is it about dramatically increasing the “Almighty-Revenue-Raising-Police-Speeding-Fine-Piggy-Bank???” I think we all know the answer there……
The most irritating thing about these new permanent cameras is that they make people drive 10kph under the limit out of fear! Ah well, it seems everyone will just have to put up with driving around like paranoid “grannies”! FInes are fucking enormous in S.A. for speeding:
| Exceeding the speed limit | Demerit Points (1) | Expiation Fee (2) | Expiation Fee (Road Trains) (2) |
| By less than 10km/h | 2 | $155 | $412 |
| By 10km/h but less than 20km/h | 3 | $340 | $515 |
| By 20km/h but less than 30km/h | 5 | $690 | $793 |
| By 30km/h but less than 45km/h | 7 | $824 | $927 |
| By 45km/h or more (excessive speed) | 9 | $927 | $1030 |
Speed cameras on South Eastern Freeway get turned on Monday
POLICE will flick the switch on the biggest revenue-raising speed cameras in the state on Monday.
The two fixed cameras, the first in the state capable of operating in a variable speed environment, are located on the South Eastern Freeway and are expected to generate almost $3 million a year in fines, according to police.
One camera is adjacent to the Crafers on-ramp at Crafers West and the second is at the Mount Osmond Overpass at Leawood Gardens.
Police have budgeted for more than $8 million in revenue to be raised by the two cameras in their first three full years of operation.
They forecast more than $1.6 million will be raised before the end of this financial year.
Road Safety Minister Michael O’Brien said the cameras would be able to respond to any changes in the variable speed limits on the South Eastern Freeway, capturing vehicles that exceed the posted speed limit in any lane at any given time.
New speed cameras have been installed on the South Eastern Freeway.
“This technology can also identify specific vehicle types and their relevant speed,” he said.
“For example, on the freeway all trucks are required to select the appropriate gear to safely descend and all trucks with five or more axles must travel with a maximum speed of 60km/h, unless a lower limit of 40 or 25 applies in specific circumstances.
“These new safety cameras will distinguish a heavy vehicle from a normal car and catch any trucks with five or more axles travelling faster than 60km/h and putting other road users at risk.
“They will also be able to catch road users speeding on the freeway during periods when the speed limit is lowered on electronic speed signs due to changed conditions – such as low visibility due to fog … or when there are other hazards on the road.
Read More if you can be bothered…
– BDL1983