Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Mark Ron: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:606;Page:3783] 
11.  
RON MARK (NZ First) 
 to the  
Minister of Transport 
: Has he received any reports or recommendations in relation to tougher laws for foreign drivers; if so what has he done about this? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN (Minister of Transport) 
: 
 I have recently received some initial advice on that matter. I intend to meet with representatives of the Land Transport Safety Authority of New Zealand tourism overseas students and the rental car industry to discuss issues relating to foreign drivers. Officials will also be reporting further on ways to improve driving behaviour for foreign drivers particularly students.  
Ron Mark 
: Has the Minister adopted any of the raft of recommendations prepared by the Christchurch Coroner Richard McElrea after the inquest into the road death of Yunfei Zhao an 18-year-old student who was found to be driving alone on a fake Chinese driving licence and a New Zealand learner driver’s licence? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: Yes I have seen a copy of that report and the issues that were raised by the coroner are under active investigation.  
Helen Duncan 
: What changes are being made to ensure foreign drivers better understand New Zealand road rules and conditions? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: The Land Transport Safety Authority is currently investigating ways to improve foreign drivers’ understanding of New Zealand road rules and conditions such as providing those drivers with better information and improving the road markings and signage. However New Zealand is party to international agreements in this area. Any toughening of the laws against foreigners driving in New Zealand would affect our ability to drive overseas on New Zealand licences. 
Hon Roger Sowry 
: Can the Minister explain why overseas students in a matter of weeks after their arrival in New Zealand can pass the New Zealand learner’s licence then return to their home countries for a holiday acquire full licences from their countries return to New Zealand and do overseas conversions to full New Zealand drivers’ licences—the whole process taking a matter of only a few weeks; and will the Minister immediately move to stop that practice? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: One of the explanations is that that was the policy inherited by this Government from the previous National Government. Having said that— 
Hon Member 
: It’s not good enough for us. 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: It is not good enough for us and we are working on ways by which we can improve that whole system.  
Larry Baldock 
: Given reports of the growing occurrence of European campervan tourists involved in head-on accidents whilst driving on the wrong side of the road as being the main cause of harm by foreign drivers does the Minister agree that the best thing we can do in this country is to improve the substandard nature of our State highway system so that foreign tourists will find it safer to drive here? 
Hon PAUL SWAIN 
: I would not agree that our State highway system is substandard. It is true though that improvements need to be made. Of course the Government is actively working on those. As far as foreign drivers are concerned I am for example meeting with a number of rental car companies to try to make improvements in that area.  
Ron Mark 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I understand I have a second supplementary question that I was going to seek but I would like to clarify a matter. Given that Bill Gudgeon’s supplementary question was ruled out of order does that now mean that I can ask another two supplementary questions?  
Mr SPEAKER 
: No. The New Zealand First Party has had its 10 questions and 2 days ago it had 11. The number is 10 or 11.