Is this right?

tub4, Jun 18, 4:05pm
So lets see if I've got this right, if I live in south Auckland I don't need a licence to drive because getting taken to court will make me commit crimes. hmm-
mm wouldn't I have already committed one? THE WORLDS GONE MAD!
jmma, Jun 18, 4:06pm
Sounds all good to me (o:
tub4, Jun 18, 4:16pm
Why just south Auckland though? If it good enough to have unlicensed drivers there why not everywhere?
budgel, Jun 18, 4:32pm
Check your facts rather than having a purely emotional response.
If the Maori who dont have a licence fail to get into training to get one, the prosecution goes ahead in the normal way.
The initiative is an effort to get them into training to get a licence. The reality is that Maori are by far the largest group who drive without having one.

It could be argued in court probably with a fair chance of success by a person of another race that they too deserve the same treatment.

It seems like a rational approach to get them licensed.

Who knows, it may be the beginning of the road police actually looking to solve some of our driving problems in a non punitive way.
bigfatmat1, Jun 18, 4:40pm
Sounds like a good idea to me.
tub4, Jun 18, 4:40pm
I'm a Maori my friend, I just can't see how this can be right.
Why just in South Auckland? Why not PI too? Why not everyone?
lookoutas, Jun 18, 4:45pm
It's racist.

Imagine the huha if was aimed at non-Maori.
tamarillo, Jun 18, 4:49pm
Yeah budgel, the police take a constructive approach for once and get slammed! If you'd read article they do say it applies to all people but yes it's more relevant to Maori as there is a strong problem there.
Got any better ideas? Prefer just to book them up?
Though the police taking a "constructive, problem solving approach in tackling this. " To our road toll would be even better.
noswalg, Jun 18, 4:59pm
As with any new initiative there needs to be trial areas so they have obviously picked one where they can get decent results, not so sure about the race based aspect but I guess they're targeting a specific group to judge how effective it is. If it reduces offending and forces drivers into being compliant then I'm all for it.
muzz67, Jun 18, 5:00pm
Yes, it does look dodgy at first glance,,
but its really pretty proactive.
give youth a fair chance to improve and hopefully get a better attutude towards enforcement.
gunhand, Jun 18, 5:03pm
Did you see the memo that was sent to officers? It's first words were. "All Maori" Then 5 lines and 6 spelling mistakes later it finished.
So that's where all the issue stems from. They could have worded it a little bit better.
So how does this work? Young Maori (cause it says Maori) chap with no license decides to drive, well that tells you something for a start, then gets pulled up and is told, go do a course etc etc and we will wave the fine. $400 fine that odds are he wouldn't pay anyway (like many of all races).
I'm sorry but I don't see it working at all. Those who do drive unlicensed are well aware they are doing wrong and do it anyway. And I bet they won't be off to their job at the time either.
And who pays for these courses they are suppose to do.
And yes, if one rule applies it should apply to all.
Sadly many think the rules don't apply to them anyway due to long held grudges, even before some where alive. So you think they will care about doin a course?
budgel, Jun 18, 6:47pm
In that case they then get the same treatment as anyone else and get a ticket sent to them.
tgray, Jun 18, 6:52pm
Don't agree with race based laws/policing.
If I were Maori, I would be offended and insulted by this.
I would just want to be treated the same as everybody else.
kenw1, Jun 18, 6:58pm
Did you spot the spelling mistakes in the memo shown on TV.
noswalg, Jun 18, 7:06pm
I spotted "liscenses" or something like that but only because of the yellow highlighting.
tmenz, May 28, 8:01pm
I saw 3 instances of 'licences' - 2 were spelt 'liscences' and the other was 'liscenes' - great for an official document!