QLD Drivers Licences up 71 %

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QUEENSLAND motorists are being slugged with increases of up to 71 per cent for new smartcard driver's licences since their rollout less than three years ago.

The cost of the new licences, which drivers can sign up for from one to five years, has risen by an average of 63 per cent since they were introduced in late 2010.

About half of the state's 3.4 million registered drivers have already bought the new plastic credit-card sized licences but about 1.69 million drivers are still using the old laminate cards.

The cost of a one-year smartcard licence climbed by 71 per cent from $37.35 in 2010-11 to $64.20 in 2012-13.

The cost of a two-year smartcard licence also rose by 71 per cent from $52.05 to $89.50 in the same period.

Five-year smartcard licences rose by 49 per cent from $96.05 in 2010-11 to $143.75 in 2012-13.

A spokeswoman for Transport Minister Scott Emerson blamed the hefty increases on the former Labor government.

"The increase to the cost of a driver's licence reflects the cost of producing the new card which was set under the previous government," she said.

"Unfortunately this is another example of Labor's reckless spending with no consideration for the impact it would have on taxpayers."

The cost to roll out the new Queensland licensing system was about $139 million and it's hoped all drivers will have migrated to the new technology by the end of 2017.

The Newman Government is looking at ways to reduce the data added to the chip and help make it smaller and cheaper which would help reduce the computer systems needed to manage the licences and cut costs.

The cards have a number of visual and technological security features designed to make it easier to identify forgeries.

Queensland Council of Social Service director Mark Henley said the rising costs to smartcard licences was yet another increasing cost for Queenslanders.

"I think it's really important that the Government has a holistic view of any of the prices or costs that they passed on to the public with goods or services they provide such a licence," he said.

"They need to have a line of sight of what the overall impact is for people.

"One of the biggest problems people face is managing the increasing costs across a variety of services and this is another increase in cost people have to wear."

RACQ executive manager of public policy Michael Roth said the licence increases were "steep" but their implementation of the system was "a good decision."

The option to renew laminated licences was phased out in October.

Drivers cannot upgrade from a laminated card to a smartcard online, it must be completed at a Department of Transport office.

Smartcard users are able to renew their cards electronically.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/nat...-1226652577103

[NAK302]

makes me wonder what they did with all the misappropriated revenue that the Queensland public don't seem to worry about.

the last bit is a concern, i live 200kms from the nearest DoT office, but as usual regional/rural people get the blunt end. my laminated licence runs out in 2016, so i can only imagine how much it will be for the priviledge.

[Simple6]

Well in NSW our 5 year licence is over $160 already and you always need to go to the RMS for renewals (in regards to QLD having to go in and swap).

[2011G6E]

It's the biggest rip off going...when the first laminated licences came in, we were absolutely assured they were tamper proof and copy proof. Within a week, a Chinese guy was intercepted at Brisbane airport with hundreds of fake licences brought in from Hong Kong, all pretty much perfect copies.

This time when they said the new chip ones are "copy proof", people just smiled and said "sure they are...".

The fun thing about them too is that because of facial recognition, you can't wear glasses for the photo. My wife has to wear glasses all the time, and it's noted as such on her licence, yet the photo doesn't even look like her...you have to take your glasses off, and sit there blank faced and not smile at all.

Seeing as how the photo is a form of ID and is supposed to look like you, that's a bit odd.

But. like good little Aussies, we'll just sit back, shrug, and pay what we are forced to pay. Most of the stuff our government does, in other parts of the world, would lead to hundreds of thousands of people on the street with blazing torches and fire bombs...politicians here are very lucky.

[deesun]

Can I just say that in QLD if you have a boat/PWC licence it is included in your drivers licence at no extra charge I believe unlike NSW where you need two licences and two charges, disgustingly expensive in the case of the PWC part.

[LG17]

Mine's due now!!
First licence was a small bit of card which cost me $10 for 10 years! :(

[lilmattie]

Mine came up for renewal two years ago.

I don't like the idea of ID cards with chips in them.. so I renewed it online and got them to send me the renewal sticker that gets attached to the back of the laminate license. Pretty sure you're limited on how many times you can do that though. :( Only 3 years left before I'm forced onto a new card.

[Mercury 8]

Originally Posted by deesun

Can I just say that in QLD if you have a boat/PWC licence it is included in your drivers licence at no extra charge I believe unlike NSW where you need two licences and two charges, disgustingly expensive in the case of the PWC part.

Yes this is correct and may I just add that I payed $20 near on thirty years ago for my boat license and have not paid a cent since then. It was added to car/ truck license along with PWC which we only had to get about six years ago for about $80 I think it was so we are not doing to bad compared to some of the other states.

[Ben73]

So QLD is almost caught up to NSW in costs now. Im sure NSW will pull away again when they think of a reason to charge more.

[AWD Chaser]

Originally Posted by Ben73

So QLD is almost caught up to NSW in costs now. Im sure NSW will pull away again when they think of a reason to charge more.

Pretty obvious - they'll just stick a SMART chip in the card... But dont expect them to adopt an established proven system - they will rollout their own software, hardware, etc, at 5 times the cost of mirroring the QLD system... Don't forget about rego rises to offset some of the cost too!

[dallasv8]

goes up every year according to the girls at the debt of transport.

[grandpa_spec_F6]

This is really stupid in terms of our rural brothers and sisters.

Simple method is this:
- Have photo taken at local police station / post office and signed off by either JP/Officer/Registered person with TMR for rural area contact
- Order license online / over the phone
- TMR send out 'smart card' license'
- Person then calls TMR when they get it and verify details over the phone + on smart card

Not pretty or perfect but for those faced with hundreds of KM's to travel for a darn license... really?

[deesun]

Originally Posted by Ben73

So QLD is almost caught up to NSW in costs now. Im sure NSW will pull away again when they think of a reason to charge more.

You are kidding right? In NSW a boat licence is $55/145 1year/3years and a PWC Jetski licence is $165/563. In QLD these two are added to your licence for NOTHING, FREE, ZERO, ZIP, NO CHARGE. No wonder people want their licences at a QLD address. NSW is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy out in front and always will be.

[sarrge2001]

My SA boat licence cost $15.00. In 1988!

No yearly fee.

No boat licence (or rego) required in the NT.

[Matty4]

Originally Posted by deesun

You are kidding right? In NSW a boat licence is $55/145 1year/3years and a PWC Jetski licence is $165/563. In QLD these two are added to your licence for NOTHING, FREE, ZERO, ZIP, NO CHARGE. No wonder people want their licences at a QLD address. NSW is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy out in front and always will be.

Holy crapola!!!!!!!
$183 for a 5 year PWC endorsed licence here in Vic is cheap compared to that....
I remember when we didn't even need a licence in Vic, but I had to go and get a NSW one to take my boat on the Murray occasionally.
When Vic introduced them they allowed me to change over for free too.

[DJM83]

I got one of the old ones for 5 years the year before the smart ones started. So at least its put off for a little.

[nstg8a]

Mines due at the end of the month, damn.