Yates Dianne: Land Transport Amendment Bill (No 4) — First Reading 
Yates Dianne: Land Transport Amendment Bill (No 4) — First Reading 
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DIANNE YATES (Labour) 
: 
 I rise to speak on the first reading of the Land Transport Amendment Bill (No 4). It is amazing to note that if any illness or war killed around 400 young New Zealanders in a year we would be outraged yet our road statistics are absolutely appalling. I think some people are very cavalier and almost seem to regard road accidents as being like catching a possum in headlights—that it is natural with cars and something we have to put up with. This bill says that it is something we should not have to put up with. 
Around 400 people are killed and thousands are injured on our roads every year. One of the worst places to be on a Saturday night is the accident and emergency department of any hospital in New Zealand to see the people who come in as a result of drink-driving and drug-driving. Often they are young people with terrible terrible injuries and often they lose their lives. It is absolutely horrendous. I have been many a time on select committees looking at transport law and the people who influence me most are the medical people who work in accident and emergency departments in our hospitals. They are often in despair at the fact that we are not strict enough with our road rules and our road legislation. I will support any legislation that comes before this House that will save lives and I hope many more people will support it and make submissions on it. I look forward to this bill coming into law. We look forward to receiving submissions and I hope that many of the people who work in this area—who work at saving lives—will make submissions. 
The bill sends a clear message that it is unacceptable to drive while drugged. I went to a school reunion on the weekend and one of the things that struck me when I walked into the school was the Students Against Drunk Driving poster. It was the first thing that hit me when I went into the school. Thank goodness the young people there are getting the message out that they want to save lives including those of their fellow students. It is largely young people who are caught up in these accidents and who are caught up with the drugs. Drugs are a huge problem in our society. The police are constantly reminding us that drugs are the curse of this modern age and we have to deal with drugs in whatever way we can. I thank the Minister of Transport for this bill which increases the penalties and tries to deal with this issue in some way. 
As I said if 400 young people were to die from any other cause people would be marching in the streets. People have said to me that I am against young people because I want to bring in these sorts of laws. I am not. I love young people and I like them alive not crushed on a road on a Saturday night or in our hospitals. Mr Worth might screw up his nose but if it was his child who was killed in this way he would be asking why the Minister does not do something about the people who are taking drugs and driving. Of course it is not only young people. Some older people are also doing this but the statistics show that those who are killed are largely young people under the age of 25. 
I commend the Minister for bringing forward this legislation. It also includes provisions relating to buying and selling cars and access to information under the Official Information Act. A number of constituents have come to me about this provision. I am glad that the Minister has listened to what people have said and included provisions relating to the privacy of motor vehicle registration especially in relation to the purchase of motor vehicles and access to that information. As the Minister said the bill aims to reach a balance between the right to privacy and the interests of the general public. Hopefully this bill will do that. 
I commend the bill to the House and to the select committee. I hope that some of our Youth Parliament people will make submissions on this because it was one of the issues that concerned them. I look forward to improved statistics on accident rates on the roads as a result of this bill. I am sure the Minister will be monitoring the efficacy of this law very very carefully. Thank you.