2 September 2025
The CLP Government has introduced the Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 to modernise outdated transport laws, close safety gaps, and cut red tape-delivering on the mandate to reduce crime, rebuild the economy, and restore our lifestyle.
Minister for Logistics and Infrastructure Bill Yan said the bill puts community safety and common sense first.
"This is action, not talk. We're tightening road safety, cleaning up dumped cars, keeping buses safe, reducing paperwork, and easing cost-of-living pressures-so the system works for Territorians who do the right thing," Minister Yan said.
Key changes to the bill include
Stronger penalties for repeat offenders - Courts can now impose cumulative licence disqualifications for drink and drug drivers with multiple offences.On-the-spot fines for unlicensed driving - Creates new infringements for unsupervised learner drivers and for never-licensed drivers, giving police swift penalties and freeing courts for serious matters.Safer public transport - Transit Officers gain greater powers to remove antisocial behaviour from public transport and the ability to use gel-based OC sprayFaster removal of abandoned vehicles - Cuts the wait from seven days to three and expands powers beyond roads to verges/public placesDelivering cost of living relief and reducing red tape wait times at the MVR by increasing trailer registration periods to three years and speeding up automated decision makingStrengthening commercial vehicle regulations by abolishing the long-defunct CPV Board and increases penalties for fare overchargingand a range of technical and miscellaneous amendments including increasing penalties for fare overcharging
He said the bill would see practical and extensive improvements to keep the community safe.
"At the heart of this bill is giving police new infringement options, giving transit officers the powers to keep buses safe, and giving courts stronger sentencing tools to deal with repeat and dangerous drivers and cleaning up the streets by fixing abandoned vehicle rules," he said.
"Likewise it will help Territorians lock in cost-of-living savings through longer trailer registration options and modernising the MVR for the digital age and tidying up our legislation to reflect the Territory we live in today."
"And reforms will provide more confidence to the taxis, rideshare, minibuses, coaches, and specialised medical transport that Territorians rely on."
Minister Yan stressed the bill would continue to address community concerns head-on.
"Make no mistake, this bill is about safety, cracking down on unlicenced, drunk and drugged up drivers and protecting Territorians using our buses to get around," he said.
"Over the past decade, alcohol was a factor in more than half of all road deaths in the Territory and under current laws, when someone is convicted of multiple disqualifying offences, their licence bans are usually served at the same time."
"This bill provides an ability to further address these issues with courts now able to impose cumulative disqualification periods and this is about sending a clear, hard message that enough is enough."
"As part of our year of action, certainty and security, the CLP Government is driving new reforms to make the Territory safer and this bill is another step in delivering exactly that."
