MELBOURNE, VIC. — In an ABC News report by Alex Sinnott, the report states that: “Victoria Police are still able to conduct licence and registration checks via LEAP and there is minimal impact on operational policing,” she said.
VicNews has confirmed that this is simply not true. A former (retired) police officer – who we have chosen not to name – told VicNews that “Cops will use their MDT [mobile data terminal] or two-way radios to confirm current vehicle registration and driver’s licence validity by using these [VicRoads] systems.”
These police systems use the VicRoads database to check such validity. The VicRoads database is currently and continually failing, which means, despite police claims, that they can “check the validity of a vehicle’s registration or one’s driver’s licence” is simply not true, as police check this information via the VicRoads database and systems, which are currently not working or intermittent at best.
“Eltham 308. VKC.”
“VKC. Eltham 308.”
“Rego check on rego ABC123.”
“Licence check on [name] licence #0001 0001 2.”
This could – and has – resulted in some people being arrested for unlicensed or driving unregistered vehicles, cars being clamped, when the vehicle’s registration has been paid, and the driver holds a current licence.
A caller to ABC Radio Melbourne (3LO) this morning stated that: “I’ve been fined five thousand dollars and taken off the road for my logbook not being up to date. My logbook is current and updated,” the caller told Raf Epstein on 3LO.
Whilst the VicRoads CEO was telling Raf Epstein that “the matter had been resolved”, other ABC journalists, as did VicNews, checked that the systems the VicRoads CEO claimed were working, live to air, were not. They still are not as at 3.45pm today.
VicNews paid for our own vehicle registration today to ‘test the systems’. The VicRoads app and website still show our vehicle as unregistered and unpaid. The bank account says otherwise.
Therefore, what VicRoads, the Government and Victoria Police claim is simply, and provably, not true.
Anybody charged, arrested, wheel-clamped or otherwise impacted by this is encouraged to contact a lawyer and seek civil compensation.
Anybody impacted should also apply to have the matter heard in the Magistrates’ Court and seek court-ordered compensation.
If this has happened to you, let us know at editor@victoriannews.com.au.
