Kellie Sloane
Leader of the Opposition
NSW Liberal Leader
Mark Coure
Shadow Minister for Roads
The Minns Labor Government must allow its dangerous three strikes drug driving bill to be properly examined by a Parliamentary Committee before allowing cannabis users onto our roads.
The NSW Liberals and Nationals are calling for the Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Medical Cannabis and Driving Offences) Bill 2026 to the NSW Parliament's Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety (STAYSAFE), should Labor continue to refuse to abandon it altogether.
Leader of the Opposition Kellie Sloane said the Premier should not ask Parliament to approve such significant reforms without first allowing them to be independently examined by Australia's oldest and most respected parliamentary road safety committee.
"STAYSAFE helped shape reforms including random breath testing, graduated licensing, stronger drink-driving laws, school zone safety and fatigue countermeasures. It exists so that Parliament can hear from scientists, police, medical experts, road safety specialists and victims before major changes to road safety laws are made," Ms Sloane said.
"This Bill has profound implications for every family that uses our roads and it should be properly examined in a transparent way."
"If the Minns Labor Government is confident these changes are supported by the evidence, he should have no hesitation referring the Bill to STAYSAFE for independent scrutiny."
Shadow Minister for Roads Mark Coure said STAYSAFE was created specifically to investigate complex road safety issues and has played a pivotal role in many of New South Wales' most significant road safety reforms over the past four decades.
"This is precisely why STAYSAFE was established. Its role is to investigate road safety issues, hear evidence and provide Parliament with independent recommendations before decisions are made that could affect the safety of every road user," Mr Coure said.
"Every family expects road safety to come before politics. Chris Minns should refer this Bill to STAYSAFE before asking Parliament to weaken NSW's drug-driving laws," Mr Coure said.
"Chris Minns now has a simple choice - allow independent scrutiny or explain to the people of New South Wales why he knows better than the parliament's expert Committee deliberately set up to examine issues such as this".
The Opposition is calling on the Premier to allow STAYSAFE to receive evidence from:
· road safety experts
· medical specialists
· police
· trauma surgeons
· victim support organisations
· industry representatives; and
· other key experts before the Bill proceeds.
