Locke Keith: Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
Locke Keith: Land Transport (Enforcement Powers) Amendment Bill — First Reading 
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KEITH LOCKE (Green) 
: 
 The Green Party will support this bill being referred to the select committee. As the previous speaker Darien Fenton said in her elaboration on the bill we are not necessarily convinced that all of these new measures are required to deal with street racing and the particular problems of road safety noise and public nuisance that ensue particularly for people in the neighbourhood. We will be interested in going through the select committee process to see whether each of the proposed measures is needed or whether they are covered by existing legislation. 
Before discussion in the select committee we do support the idea of demerit points rather than fines but we are always a bit worried about a lack of flexibility in law and making the impoundment of cars involved in street racing mandatory in certain situations is not necessarily the best course. It is going beyond the existing provisions for some flexibility by enforcement officers. I think it is good to have that flexibility. 
As has been pointed out the definition of cruising can be rather broad. In fact I am worried how it could apply to some politicians. The word can have two definitions. One definition says that cruising creates a convoy that is formed otherwise than in trade and impedes traffic flow. I have been around the electorate of Mt Albert of late. I have seen convoys of cars sometimes with red sometimes with blue and sometimes with green on them going around and formed otherwise than in trade. Or are we defining trade as the political trade in which case we might be excluded? It is true that the longer the convoy in a political procession the more it impedes traffic flow. We may be in line for cruising as political parties engaging in the by-election in Mt Albert. I draw that fact to members’ attention. 
The other definition of cruising draws attention to the power or sound of the engine of the motor vehicle being driven. Again that is fairly broad because sometimes at traffic lights people will just rev up their engines a little bit. It is not of great concern. But if people’s cars are making a really prolonged loud noise then it is of concern. I am just a bit worried about the breadth of that definition. 
Then we throw by-laws into this. Sometimes by-laws can be useful but it is the police under national jurisdiction who enforce these laws. We do not want too many by-laws that create inconsistencies in the application of the law. Sure we can create a by-law and Bealey Avenue in Christchurch was mentioned as a place where boy racers tend to have a go on a Saturday night. We could make a by-law that they should not drive down Bealey Avenue but then they will just move to another street. A by-law does not necessarily solve the problem. What Shane Jones said about the creation of places away from populated areas for people to do their speed-running and wheelies and all that they like to do is a much better solution combined with the provision of more social alternatives for young people on a Saturday night or Sunday or whenever they do it. That is a challenge for society rather than just coming down totally with the heavy hand of the law. 
I think there are other problems involved too that need to be addressed as has been referred to. Alcohol is a big issue as is binge drinking and often but not always that is associated with boy racers. That is the dangerous edge of it and it creates a lot of the accidents. A lot of it relates to having the right police resources. Bealey Avenue is not too far from the Christchurch Police Station. If the police know as they do that boy racers will regularly be there then being present with the right number of officers and applying the existing law is perhaps a better way to go. We are particularly worried about the bill that is to follow this bill’s first reading and which is associated with it. It is the one that allows for the crushing of cars. I think that goes too far but we will speak about that further when that particular debate takes place. 
We are concerned that this bill may go a little too far. I think Parliament has to address the alienation of some young people and the fact that their only way of expressing themselves collectively seems to be by having cars that create these loud noises and annoy people. We need to find the root of the problem and provide outlets for them. One of the outlets is countryside tracks. It is not all wrong. Motor racing is very popular amongst New Zealanders. Often these people are engaged on their own behalf with their own cars or that of their parents and if it is in a safe place and away from causing any public nuisance then it is not necessarily bad. So we do not want to infringe too much on the civil liberties of people. 
With those few comments the Green Party will be looking at the detail of the bill and listening closely to the submissions to see which if any of those provisions are absolutely required. Thank you.