Weak drug driving penalties are putting the community at risk and frustrating magistrates, but Daniel Andrews continues to sit on his hands and do nothing.
For the fourth time, a magistrate in Warrnambool has vented frustrations about not being able to jail repeat drug drivers. On Monday while sentencing a repeat offender Magistrate Franz Holzner said “There’s a gap in the legislative regime where drug drivers don’t have the same consequences as drink drivers and I really hope that situation changes.”
It’s the second time Mr Holzner has made comments about the weak drug driving penalties and he is the third Magistrate in Warrnambool to express such views.
At a time when we have a road toll rising out of control and when more people who die on our roads are found to have drugs in their system than alcohol, Daniel Andrews and Labor continue to ignore the pleas of magistrates who are telling him over and over again these laws are flawed.
Daniel Andrews and Labor instead have ripped billions of dollars out of the TAC and cut roadside testing.
On the other hand, the Liberal Nationals have a plan to ensure penalties for drug driving are brought in line with those for drink driving and to increase roadside drug tests by 1,000 per week.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Rural Roads, Roma Britnell:
”Under Daniel Andrew and Labor the road toll is skyrocketing and we know that drug driving is playing a part in that. Daniel Andrews must listen to the Magistrates who are warning the penalties for drug driving need to change.”
“While Daniel Andrews sits on his hands and fails to address this ongoing problem the Liberal Nationals have a policy to send a strong message to the community that driving while under the influence of drugs will not be tolerated.”
