Editorial: Licence scheme lauded

Anna Wallis

THE Government is to be congratulated for a programme that will help young offenders get a driver's licence.

The scheme is starting in South Auckland and would be welcome throughout the country if it proves successful.

It is aimed at Maori offenders and its aims are threefold: to enable people to get a full licence, improve road safety and reduce crime.

Week after week young people appear in the Whanganui District Court because they haven't completed the driver's licence process properly or are caught for other crimes while driving and their licence isn't correct or they don't have one.

For some people it happens more than once. Getting that part of their life sorted will be a godsend.

Getting a licence isn't as straightforward as it used to be. And tackling the issue among Maori in prisons is a smart step. According to Corrections Minister Louise Upston, Maori have a high proportion of convictions for licence/regulatory offences.

Getting young offenders through the driver's licence process while they are in prison will see an instructor at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo and Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility at Wiri. There will also be instruction at six Community Corrections sites in South Auckland.

Tuition will include literacy and numeracy support if needed plus alcohol and other drug education and safer driving messages.

It's an approach that has all bases covered and provides that bit of hand-holding needed to steer young people through the process so it's not such an obstacle to climb.

The pilot will cost $606,000. That will cover driving lessons, the cost of birth certificates if needed, mock practical tests and all licence test fees. Presumably it will be delivered by people who not only know how to drive safely and correctly but know how to get a message across to young people.

Minister Upston said getting a licence can help young people turn their lives around, get jobs and move away from crime.

Albert Einstein said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.

This programme is a slice of sanity.