ACT News

Thirteen foreign diplomats in Canberra have had licences suspended

Thirteen foreign diplomats in Canberra have had their driving licences suspended since a long-standing immunity was waived on September 1 last year.

ACT government data shows embassy staff continue to infringe, but now have to pay fines which tally $191,780 since the change.

A total of 724 infringements have been incurred by diplomats, embassy staff and other officers of privilege since September 1.

Five of the licence suspensions were for accrued demerit points and eight for unpaid fines.

The 1961 Vienna Convention gave diplomats immunity from criminal and civil jurisdiction.

In April last year it was revealed Saudi Arabian diplomats had clocked up more than $140,000 in traffic fines, hooning around the capital in their official cars, but authorities were powerless to make the Saudis pay.

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ACT officials worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the diplomatic corps to change the rules.

Road safety minister Shane Rattenbury said it was too early to say if there had been behavioural change, but he expected to see improved safety outcomes.

"A number of embassies and the broader community have recognised that this is a positive initiative which supports responsible and safe driving on ACT roads by all road users, including the diplomatic community," he said.

"This initiative is also about respecting the expectations of the community when it comes to parking and paying infringements."

Government data shows there were 920 diplomatic infringements in 2014, representing 0.59 per cent of the ACT total.

In 2015 the numbers were 953 (0.54%) and last year 940 (0.55%).

Examples in December included speeding in school zones near Dickson College, Canberra Grammar and North Ainslie Primary.

A camera on Barton Highway between Gungahlin Drive and Ellenborough Street captured three speeding offences.

Nine of the September camera offences were for speeding between 15 and 30kmh over the limit, while only three were above 15kmh in October, suggesting embassy staff have at least slowed down a little.

School zone breaches occurred at Narrabundah College, Canberra Grammar and Lyons Primary.

Historical traffic camera records show a litany of offences including many running red lights and some serious speeding.

In one of the worst cases, a diplomatic plate holder was caught travelling between 30 and 45kmh above the speed limit in a school zone on Melbourne Avenue near Canberra Girls Grammar in March last year.

Other lead-footed diplomats were detected at similar speeds on Adelaide Avenue in April and July 2016.

In February 2015, an embassy driver exceeded the speed limit by more than 30kmh at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue with Antill/Mouat Street at Dickson, less than 200 metres from the Motor Vehicle Registry.

Fairfax Media contacted several embassies for comment, but none responded.

In November last year the dean of the diplomatic corps, Papua New Guinea high commissioner Charles Lepani, said many missions believed traffic cases involving diplomats were exaggerated by the media and did not reflect the fact that most "most diplomats and their staff adhere to the rules of their host country".

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