Question – Quarterly Vehicle Registrations
Questions asked by the Hon Meg Webb MLC on 11 August 2022 and answered by the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport on 24 August 2022.
Question:
Noting the recent introduction of the option for quarterly vehicle registration payments, can the government advise:
1. Since the option of quarterly vehicle registration became available in July 2021, what proportion of Tasmanian vehicle registration renewals have taken up the option to make quarterly payments, as opposed to six or 12- monthly?
2. What consideration has been given to providing a monthly payment option for vehicle registrations to further support Tasmanians, particularly low-income Tasmanians, with bill smoothing?
Answer:
1. Since the option of quarterly vehicle registration became available in July 2021, a total of 1,081,401 registration transactions for light vehicles have been processed. Of these renewal transactions, 24% were for three months, 23% were for six months and 53% were for 12 months.
Since implementation, 98,584 clients have chosen the three-month option, with 63% of these individuals choosing the three-month option more than once.
2. The Department conducted an investigation of the potential for more frequent periodic vehicle registration payments, including an interjurisdictional review and scenario modelling. The options investigated were monthly and fortnightly registration payments across a broad range of payment channels.
The investigation revealed that there would be a very low uptake rate for monthly or fortnightly payment options in Tasmania, with underlying concerns that negate the benefits, including the risk that shorter registration payment periods significantly increase the risk of vehicles becoming unregistered, and therefore, not covered by compulsory third party insurance in the event of a motor vehicle incident which would be a very unfortunate outcome.
The Government is very pleased with consistent feedback from the community that appreciate the new quarterly payment option.
See more of Meg’s Questions to Parliament.
