Simon Douglas: AA Chief Policy Officer on the Government scrapping free driver's license test re-sits

AA has confirmed people have had to wait months to sit their driver's license test. 

The Government is trying to cut the long wait time for tests, by allowing only one free resit.

The last Government removed fees for resitting theory and practical tests, significantly increasing bookings.

AA Chief Policy Officer Simon Douglas says they'll ease in the new rules over time.

He says once the three month transition period ends, they'll monitor whether the changes have the impact they want.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Government is scrapping free, unlimited driver licensed tests. They were
brought in by Labor last year, but what they basically
did was led to a massive wait list for driving
tests for people who just kept on sitting and sitting
and sitting and sitting the thing again. From July eight,
applicants will be eligible for only one free recent and
then any after that they have to pay for. Simon
Douglas is the AA's chief policy officer.

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Hey Simon, Hi, how are you?

Speaker 1 (00:20):
And well? Thank you? How long is the wait list
at the moment compared to what it used to be?
Do you know?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
It varies region by region, but at times in big
service it's been up to or over three months to
sit your driver's license and it's just not an acceptable
length of time and get to the way people who
need their driver's license are getting them.

Speaker 1 (00:37):
Do you think that once this kicks in July eight,
which is what like less than a week away, it's
going to have an immediate impact.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
I don't think it'll have an immediate impact. That government
has allowed for a transition zone of three months so
that people have already paid their fee and can get
their RESA. I think it'll be really important over the
period and when it's three months, transition in to holorter
really carefully and just see that these changers have had
the impact we want, which is making people much more

(01:03):
able to get their Fither's licensed test when they want
to get it.

Speaker 1 (01:07):
Presumably this was brought in to be able to help
people who couldn't pay for a reset, who a hard
up and needed a license. Has this had any impact
on trying to help those guys out.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, I think we've seen large numbers of applicants going
through the system and the number of research suggested. On
the one hand, people were wanting more accessibility, but it's
gone too far. And I think where we've landed today
with the couple aloming for one free research that gives
a bit of a nod to those people who found
the fees a bit of a barrier. I think it's

(01:37):
about the right place.

Speaker 1 (01:39):
Simon, Thanks very much, appreciate it. Simon Douglas, Chief Policy Officer.
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