u/siglosir

First and foremost, I wish to offer my thanks and gratitude to the Honourable Ms C. Faehrmann and the Honourable Mr J. Buckingham for championing the crusade to enact meaningful change to the Road Transport Act 2013 (NSW).

I watched the debate in the Legislative Council unfold yesterday and heard , considered and appreciated each member's concerns, comments and insights.

Unfortunately, the proposed amendment was met with staunch resistance from opposing members.

The general feeling of reluctance and resistance I felt stemmed from concerns relating to 'unknown' factors i.e. the inability at present to administer any kind of meaningful test to determine impairment.

This seemed to be the common thread amongst those who resisted.

Whilst I understand and appreciate that concern, I feel like the Honourable Mr. J. Buckingham may have missed an opportunity to persuade those who opposed the amendment to bring them around with a reasonable counterargument and/or suggestion.

My view is that if those who resist this based purely on the fact that impairment cannot be assessed, then they should make available to all, if not all, then medical patients, the same roadside testing equipment utilised by NSW Police.

The genesis of this suggestion is that it would afford people the opportunity to test themselves using standardised roadside tests and thus determine if they are in fact going to register a positive. Thus, in turn, negating any sense of real urgency to try rush to formulate a standardised test for impairment.

Whilst I appreciate that my proposal may sound easy from a high level, I understand that logistics surrounding this may prove to be quite the opposite, having regard to cost and everything else that will likely follow, including the inevitable defence of 'I tested before I drove and was not positive'.

Notwithstanding the above I submit that this would be a nuanced, balanced and reasonable next step to enacting meaningful change.

For abundant caution, these are my own views and are to be taken as nothing more.

Thanks.