Source : Perth Now news
Young women and men and vulnerable people learning to drive will be better protected from abuse in NSW under new reforms as debate about how to stamp out violence against women continues.
The NSW government on Thursday announced new rules intended to bolster accountability for driving instructors and schools as well as pathways for learner drivers to report misconduct.
Under the Driving Instructors Regulation 2026, driving instructors and schools will be required to clearly display information about how misconduct by an instructor can be reported to authorities.
Drivers and schools will also be required to complete vehicle hire records on the same day that the services are provided, which the government hopes will ensure records are up-to-date for reporting.
Road Minister Jenny Aitchison said learner drivers deserved to “feel safe and supported”.
“These changes strengthen protections for learner drivers by improving accountability and making it clearer how concerns about inappropriate behaviour or misconduct can be reported,” she said.
Ms Aitchison said the “overwhelming majority” of driving instructors in NSW provided “a professional and valuable service to learner”.
“These changes support that professionalism through clearer expectations and stronger safeguards,” she said.
The reforms come amid renewed focus on violence against women and girls, including after a spate of femicides across the country earlier this year.
Women’s Minister Jodie Harrison said the government was “prioritising women’s safety and making sure instructors and schools are held accountable”.
“Learning to drive is a rite of passage for many of our young people, and they have the right to feel safe with their instructor,” she said.
“While the industry as a whole are professionals committed to road safety in their community, it is important that young people know that there is somewhere to report any alleged misconduct so they feel comfortable speaking up.”
Under the reforms, “outdated administrative provisions and unused fees” will also be removed.
In doing so, the government was “cutting unnecessary red tape” and creating “a more modern and efficient regulatory framework”, Ms Aitchison said.
