‘Bill would punish twice’

Press, 1 June 1989, Page 22

‘Bill would punish twice’

A complaint to the Human Rights Tribunal has been lodged by Federated Farmers over clauses in the Transport Law Reform Bill now before Parliament.

The federation’s junior vice-president, Mr Malcolm Lumsden, said the bill contained clauses which infringed basic human rights.

The most offensive clauses were those involving applications for the proposed new transport service licence.

Under the new legislation the secretary of transport must refuse to grant a transport licence when the applicant had been convicted of a disqualifying offence, said

Mr Lumsden. “Such legislation would serve to haunt people eternally for an offence already dealt with by the justice system and punish them twice for the same offence. It could prohibit people from taking on or continuing productive employment.” The list of disqualifying offences ranged from drug trafficking to assault or damage offerences. Anyone who wanted to run a trucking business or drive a truck or heavy machinery over 3.5 tonnes could be affected. Mr Lumsden said this would include contract haymakers, roadworks operators, transport operators or farmers.