Article
Amendment Bill Targets Reckless Drivers
The Police Offences Amendment Bill 2025, introduced by Felix Ellis, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Management, aims to amend the Police Offences Act 1935. The bill includes new offences and increases penalties for existing ones, with a particular focus on vehicle and property-related crimes. The Act is set to be repealed* one year after its commencement.
The Bill was first introduced in the House of Assembly on 1 April 2025 but subsequently lapsed due to the snap election and was reintroduced on 24 September 2025.
Bill to crush hooning returns to Parliament
Felix Ellis MHA said we are throwing the book at those who selfishly put other road users and themselves in danger.
“We’ve seen too many TikTok turkeys doing the wrong thing on our roads and encouraging others on social media – it’s dangerous, it’s reckless and it’s not good enough,” Ellis said.
The Police Offences Amendment Bill 2025
The new Bill introduces a new offence, “road rage,” which is defined as driving a vehicle in a manner likely to cause alarm, distress, apprehension or fear in another person, resulting in damage, injury, collision or a risk of danger.
The penalty for this offence is a fine of up to 50 penalty units or imprisonment for up to 6 months. A “driving-related act” for this offence can include threatening, abusive, or offensive gestures or words.
Changes to Penalties and Police Powers
The Bill proposes several changes to penalties for existing offences:
Common and Aggravated Assault: Penalties for these offences will increase. For example, a penalty of a fine not exceeding 50 penalty units or 18 months imprisonment will change to 100 penalty units or 3 years imprisonment.
Property and Unlawful Entry: The bill increases penalties for offences relating to property. For unlawful entry, if a person possesses a firearm during the offence, the penalty can be up to three times the usual amount, and if they use a vehicle, aircraft or vessel, the penalty can be up to twice the usual amount.
The Bill also expands police powers regarding vehicles. A police officer can now clamp or confiscate a vehicle if they have “reasonable grounds for believing that a person is committing, or has committed” a prescribed offence. This is a change from the previous requirement of finding a person “committing” or “offending”. The period of clamping or confiscation for a first prescribed offence is extended from 28 days to 3 months.
Vehicle Forfeiture
The new Bill makes the forfeiture of a vehicle more mandatory. If a person commits a prescribed offence, the court “must make a forfeiture order” that takes effect 28 days later. The court can quash the forfeiture order if it is satisfied that the forfeiture would cause “severe hardship” to a person. In that case, the court must impose a monetary penalty of up to 100 penalty units on the offending driver.
The Bill also introduces a new rule for “evasion vehicles.” If the driver of an evasion vehicle cannot be identified within 6 months of the vehicle being clamped or confiscated, the vehicle is forfeited to the Crown. The Commissioner can then sell or dispose of the vehicle. The owner or registered operator can apply to the court before the 6-month period ends to prevent the forfeiture if they have provided all available information about the driver.
Other Noteworthy Changes
Public Place: The definition of a “public place” is expanded to include vessels used as passenger ferries and vehicles used for passenger transport services.
Computer Definition: The term “computer” now includes a mobile telephone.
Evidentiary Provisions: The Bill substitutes Section 67A, which deals with evidentiary provisions in proceedings for certain offences.
View the Police Offences Amendment Bill 2025 here.
*To be “repealed” means that a law or act is officially canceled or abolished, so it is no longer in effect. In this case, the bill states that it will be canceled on the first anniversary of its commencement. This clause is often used for new or experimental laws to ensure that a legislative body has to review and re-approve them after a set period. In this case, it gives Parliament the opportunity to assess how effective the new laws have been.
One penalty unit is equal to $202.00 as of the 2024-2025 financial year, as published in the Gazette and reported by the property agents board. The value is set annually based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and is effective from 1 July of each year.
Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse presentation of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.
Support us in expanding our coverage and developing new content by and for Tasmanians.
New initiatives on the way include … what our contributors and readers suggest! Please get in touch with your suggestions.