Driver licence scams still on offer

Urgent action is needed on driver licence scams as the illegal practices are still being advertised in foreign-language newspapers, National's Asian relationships spokeswoman Pansy Wong says.

The MP yesterday tabled a letter from concerned driving instructors, which says overseas students are offering driving lessons, international licences are being advertised for sale, and interpreters are helping students cheat on theory tests.

"For the safety of all New Zealanders, immediate action needs to be taken, and the authorities need to uphold the law and make sure the people behind the scams are apprehended," she said.

The letter outlines five main problems:

* Unlicensed instructors producing a poor standard of driver.

* The use of 12-month international licences by drivers from countries with a known poor standard of driving.

* Interpreters helping applicants pass tests.

* People selling international licences, or fixing practical test results.

* The six-month waiting period before being able to sit practical examinations.

The letter reported a "rapid rise" in the number of accidents involving Asian drivers.

It recommended moves to "reinforce" the road code, measures for the public to report illegal driving schools, and greater publicity of road safety laws.

Mrs Wong has forwarded the letter to the Ministers of Transport Safety, Immigration, and Police.

"I find it shocking that these illegal advertisements are still appearing almost two months after Land Transport New Zealand claimed it had begun investigating this issue," she said.

In response to questioning by Mrs Wong in Parliament yesterday, Transport Minister Pete Hodgson confirmed Land Transport was first made aware of the licence scams on February 11, and launched an immediate investigation.

He denied claims the department was aware of potential scams as early as July 2003, but took action only last month.

Mr Hodgson said the department did not routinely monitor foreign language newspapers, but if such advertisements were still appearing, Land Transport was more than likely to find out about them.

"Given public attention to such advertisements as might appear in a Chinese language newspaper, I do not think there will be many more, but I have no doubt that if there are, there will be no shortage of people wanting to tell us all about it," he said.