September 07, 2016
Driver training could reduce offending
New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says driving offences are often the first encounter young Maori males have with the police . . . so driving lessons at school is a way to make a positive impact on lives.
New Zealand First had its annual conference in Dunedin at the weekend, and the idea was part of a conscious effort to appeal to younger voters.
Mr Peters says the first crime committed by 60 percent of young Maori males was driving without a licence.
"We’re going to turn this getting a licence capacity into a key subject at secondary school, get them a licence before they leave school and set them on their way. It's not going to cost much but it will save a great deal in terms of recidivist crime for which a young Maori world, a hell of a lot starts with not having a driving licence in the first place," he says.
New Zealand First would also remit student debt for graduates who went out to work in rural and provincial New Zealand, meaning young New Zealanders would no longer have to start their working lives burdened with huge debt.
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