New Territory laws to be introduced to create stronger penalties for drink and drug driving and hooning offences.
Changes are a direct result of Finocchiaro CLP Government listening to Police and understanding their needs.
Backing Police by giving them better powers to do their job.
The Finocchiaro CLP Government is continuing to empower Police and improve road safety with the introduction of new laws creating stronger penalties for drink and drug driving and hooning offences.
Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro said that the changes are a direct result of listening to Police and understanding their needs.
"These reforms are the result of my Government listening to Police on the frontline who have told me that they need these changes," the Chief Minister said.
"We are backing in our Police by giving them better powers to do their job."
Under the changes:
Police will have the ability to conduct passive roadside breath tests for drink driving, using a handheld Drager Alcolizer without a straw to assess a driver's blood alcohol levelA new offence will be created for a person found to be high range drink and drug driving, allowing police to charge one offence with stronger penalties.Motorists found to be drink or drug driving for a second time will have their vehicle impounded for 14 days.Dangerous driving, driving at a dangerous speed and dangerous driving in pursuit offences will be added to new tier of serious hooning offences.Drivers charged with new serious hooning offences will have their vehicles immediately impounded for 7 days for the first hooning offence, 14 days for a second and 28 days for a third offence.
The reforms allow for interstate hooning offences to be counted as a prior offence under NT law.
"Community safety is our number one priority and we are proud to be delivering better powers for Police," the Chief Minister said.
