1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:00,600 Speaker 1: We know that. 2 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 2: Earlier this week the government announced the start of the 3 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 2: cost of living relief for Territorians. It's set to benefit 4 00:00:06,120 --> 00:00:09,960 Speaker 2: those who own motor vehicles. Now the government's freezing car 5 00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,399 Speaker 2: registration as well as providing free drivers' licenses for a 6 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,880 Speaker 2: year and enabling three year trailer registrations, which was an 7 00:00:17,920 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 2: election commitment. Now we spoke to the Chief Minister about 8 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:22,880 Speaker 2: on Monday, but a lot of listeners were still wanting 9 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,880 Speaker 2: some clarity on how it is all going to work. 10 00:00:26,280 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 2: So joining us on the line to tell us a 11 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: little bit more as the Department of Logistics and Infrastructure's 12 00:00:31,800 --> 00:00:35,240 Speaker 2: Chief Executive Louise McCormick, Good morning to you, Louis. 13 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: Good morning Katie. 14 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:38,159 Speaker 2: How are you yeah, really good, lovely to have you 15 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,280 Speaker 2: on the show. Thank you so much for your time. 16 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: No problem, Louise. 17 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:45,080 Speaker 2: How exactly is the Reggio freeze going to work? Like 18 00:00:45,120 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 2: in a real practical sense for people listening this morning? 19 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: So it's really simple, when we're really excited for our 20 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: MVR customers, actually effective right now. You don't have to 21 00:00:56,320 --> 00:01:01,360 Speaker 1: do anything, but Rego's are currently frozen until the first 22 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: of July twenty twenty six, so don't have to actually 23 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,600 Speaker 1: do anything. We're just freezing cash. Not for the frozen 24 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: car regio. It's automatically now applied and effective right now. 25 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: It won't increase until July, first of July twenty twenty six. 26 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 2: All right, Does it apply to all vehicles including four 27 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: wheel drives and motorbikes. 28 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: Yes, so any light vehicle, So anything that's under four 29 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,959 Speaker 1: and a half ton you will have your registration frozen 30 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 1: until then, so automatically applied. Anything that is above four 31 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,560 Speaker 1: and a half ton is classified as a heavy vehicle 32 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: and they have different rules applied. But anything that's a 33 00:01:42,640 --> 00:01:45,479 Speaker 1: light vehicle, so you four will drive, just the car 34 00:01:45,560 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: you drive around, motorcycles, all of those things. It's frozen 35 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,440 Speaker 1: until first of July twenty twenty six. 36 00:01:51,920 --> 00:01:54,360 Speaker 2: Now what if someone's just paid for their red gie. 37 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 2: This is one of the questions. We are getting a 38 00:01:56,080 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: lot off earlier in the week. 39 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:01,440 Speaker 1: Yes, yeah, So if you've already you don't need to 40 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 1: do anything. What it means is that you don't have 41 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: to next time you go in. It won't change from 42 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,120 Speaker 1: the current cost, so there's no decrease. It's actually just 43 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 1: that there's no increasing cost. Usually it goes up by 44 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:18,799 Speaker 1: a Consumer Price Index every year, but that's now been 45 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 1: frozen right through until the first of July twenty twenty six. 46 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 2: All right, but I guess if you've already paid, does 47 00:02:25,080 --> 00:02:26,640 Speaker 2: that mean you're kind of miss out? 48 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,400 Speaker 1: No, No, it's at the current rates. If you've paid 49 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 1: like today, or if you've paid yesterday, even it's the 50 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: same price now and right through, so you're not missing 51 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: out in that regard all right. 52 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 2: Now, how much is how much is like the average 53 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:43,239 Speaker 2: person expected to save? 54 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: So in terms of regio fees, it's roughly around ten 55 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,880 Speaker 1: dollars saving that you'll be getting and we know probably 56 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,640 Speaker 1: ten dollars doesn't sound like a lot, but we're trying 57 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:57,400 Speaker 1: to do everything we can. I mean, that gets applied 58 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,240 Speaker 1: to over one hundred thousand customers and we've got one 59 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty five thousand people that will benefit from that. 60 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: So anything we can do to save time and money 61 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 1: for our customers is what we're trying to achieve. Now. 62 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 2: Then, when we look at the driver's licenses the wise, 63 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 2: a lot of people renew this for a few years 64 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 2: to kind of avoid the hassle. So what happens if someone, say, 65 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 2: paid for five years, are they still go into benefits 66 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:23,400 Speaker 2: if it's not due for renewable or not. Really. 67 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: Yeah, so the driver's want license one is a little 68 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 1: more complex and I'm happy to walk you through it changes. 69 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: But effectively, if you have gone in and already updated 70 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:38,120 Speaker 1: your license, what you can do is actually go into 71 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: MBR or on quick pay online and you can actually 72 00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: get a three year's extension to that, so it won't 73 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: cost you anything and you can get a full year 74 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:52,600 Speaker 1: free extension, or even if your license is due for renewal, 75 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,120 Speaker 1: you can do exactly the same as you would before. 76 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:58,520 Speaker 1: You can go into MBR or onto quick Pay online 77 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 1: and you'll actually get an automatic twelve month extension on 78 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: top of what you're paying. 79 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:04,280 Speaker 2: So right, you. 80 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:07,400 Speaker 1: Basically go so you go in for a two year license, Yep, 81 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: you'll get three years instead of two for the price 82 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:10,800 Speaker 1: of two. 83 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 2: So well that is good to hear. And so they 84 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:15,240 Speaker 2: can either jump online to do that or they can 85 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 2: go in in person absolutely. 86 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: Just as you normally would and that will happen from 87 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 1: the first to January. Will be able to do that. 88 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 2: Now, I know, you know, like there's quite a few 89 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 2: changes obviously, so have all those changes in discounts, so 90 00:04:29,560 --> 00:04:31,800 Speaker 2: they sort of going to be communicated to people or 91 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 2: have they already been. 92 00:04:33,920 --> 00:04:36,559 Speaker 1: Yeah, well this is part of me being here today 93 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 1: trying to get everybody across the detail. But there's definitely 94 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,480 Speaker 1: communications and in our MVR staff will be able to 95 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,599 Speaker 1: provide advice as well as so if you go into MVR, 96 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: they'll be able to help you out as well. 97 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 2: Louise, what about the trailer registrations. What's to go with 98 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 2: the trailer stuff? 99 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,839 Speaker 1: Yeah, so that one again, nobody has to do anything, 100 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: but it's actually an added option for customers. So from 101 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: the first of December you'll actually be able to extend 102 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,599 Speaker 1: light trailers from You can only go up to twelve 103 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: months now, but this is a way of trying to 104 00:05:09,640 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 1: save time and money for people. Is you can now 105 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: go up to a three year option, so instead of 106 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:17,159 Speaker 1: having to go in every year and renew that regro 107 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,560 Speaker 1: for your trailer. And it's for light trailers, so if 108 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 1: you're taking like a garden rubbish on the weekend, that's 109 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,520 Speaker 1: life trailer. Yep. You can now go up to three 110 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: years and get your trailer done for three years. 111 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:29,680 Speaker 2: Well that is good news and look, I think this 112 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 2: will be helpful for people because we're getting a few 113 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 2: of those real sort of you know, just like how 114 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,880 Speaker 2: do I do this, Katie kind of questions, So hopefully 115 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 2: this is helpful for them. Louise, before I let you go, 116 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:41,960 Speaker 2: we actually got a listener question which I put to 117 00:05:42,000 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 2: the council just a short time ago, but she said 118 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 2: she believes it's with the Department of Infrastructure. I don't 119 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,840 Speaker 2: know whether you can tell us anything. 120 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:52,480 Speaker 1: Now. 121 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,680 Speaker 2: We've been contacted by some parents who've gone to use 122 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 2: the treehouse there at the Botanic Gardens and it's closed. 123 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 2: Any idea what's going on there? 124 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,159 Speaker 1: I hadn't heard that one, but I can certainly find 125 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,040 Speaker 1: out and get some interests for your listeners. 126 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 2: That would be wonderful. We can follow that up. Hey, 127 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,520 Speaker 2: a really quick one, and I know it probably requires 128 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:15,679 Speaker 2: much more time. But it's also been reported that middle 129 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 2: ARM has you know that the approvals have been delayed 130 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:23,320 Speaker 2: for middle ARM. I mean, I'm assuming that the Department's 131 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 2: still working along pretty actively and strongly to try and 132 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:28,760 Speaker 2: keep things moving. 133 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:32,680 Speaker 1: Absolutely, we still are working towards Middle ARM, and there 134 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: has been delays working through the large environmental assessment process. 135 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: So just only just last week actually our teams had 136 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: met with the Commonwealth regulators to go through that process 137 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:48,599 Speaker 1: and that has taken probably twelve months longer than we 138 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: would have liked, so there has been delays on that front. 139 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,919 Speaker 1: And we're also still working through the business case with 140 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:58,599 Speaker 1: the Australian Government and Infrastructure Australia. So you can imagine 141 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: for a project of this size, it's quite complex, but 142 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: we're still working our way through it. 143 00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 2: Any chance that it might be sped up a bit, 144 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 2: I would. 145 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 1: Love that personally again, and I have reached out to 146 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,520 Speaker 1: the Secretary actually in the Commonwealth about how we can 147 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:17,560 Speaker 1: achieve that. Yeah, right, And I know Minister Yan is 148 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:19,920 Speaker 1: also going to be reaching out to the Commonwealth and 149 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: his counterparts about how we can speed up the process 150 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,160 Speaker 1: because as we know, we need that revenue coming in 151 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:29,800 Speaker 1: and the jobs for territory and so it's front and 152 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:31,720 Speaker 1: center for us. Well. 153 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 2: Louise McCormack, I always appreciate your time. Thank you very 154 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: much for having a chat with us this morning, and 155 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 2: we'll talk to you again soon, no problem. Thanks, thank you.