State Member for Wallsend, Ms Sonia Hornery MP, has thanked the Minister for Customer Service for undertaking a review of the system of motor vehicle registration reminders.
Early this year, Ms Hornery raised concerns that MyService NSW accounts only sent reminders to motorists, if they chose to opt in, rather than making reminders automatic. This meant motorists were not receiving reminders for the vehicle registration and as a result, fines have dramatically increased and remained high since the change from the old registration stickers came into effect in 2013.
The Minister for Customer Service has advised Ms Hornery that Service NSW will collaborate with the RMS to review the delivery of registration notices to customers electronically.
Quotes attributable to Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery
“It is good to see common sense has prevailed in this matter. It should have been as simple as the Government making the option to receive renewal notifications and opt out rather than an opt in service.”
“The Minister for Customer Service has advised me that Service NSW and the RMS will look at the way that renewal notices are delivered electronically.”
“When Service NSW has the address, email and phone number of everyone who sets up a MyService NSW account, it should use every communication channel available to them to let people know when their registration is due, because we don’t want people unwittingly breaking the law.”
“Under the current system, many motorists are only discovering they are driving an unregistered vehicle when they are pulled over by Police and are issued with 2 fines worth $673 each, one for driving unregistered and the other for driving uninsured.”
“Drivers certainly need to take some responsibility for checking their registration but we should be sending reminders to ensure vehicles are registered and insured.”
“I welcome this decision by the Minister and look forward to seeing the positive changes to the system being made.”