Naming guilty drink drivers in the media or online is just an extension of Australia’s system of open and transparent legal processes, CLA says. Drink-drive convictions are increasing as police change from ‘random’ breath testing to targeted testing close to pubs and clubs.
CLA supports naming drunk drivers
Civil Liberties Australia supports the idea of publicly naming people guilty of drink-driving, CEO Bill Rowlings said today.
“If people are convicted in court, or admit their offence by paying a fine, there’s no reason they should not be named in public – that’s Australia’s open and transparent system working,” he said.
“In reality, the number of people drink-driving hasn’t increased – it’s just police targeting likely hot spots and catching a higher proportion of the people who are committing the offence.
“Drivers should be aware there is no longer any such thing as ‘random’ breath tests.
“Police target areas around pubs and clubs, which is why the number of cases appears to be rising.”
Politicians and police introduced breath-testing as a ‘random’ activity, he said. But now it is highly targeted to produce increasing numbers of convictions every year.
“It is an example of politician and police function creep. A program introduced at the ‘random’ edge of the wedge has become the broad and targeted breath-testing program.”