Vital funding boost for fledgling drivers
There are hopes the government’s $86.5 million investment in driver licence funding will help reduce a backlog of young people in Tararua desperate to drive.
The government announced the funding as part of Budget 2022 in an effort to make it easier to get a driver’s licence by addressing potential barriers.
Tararua Community Youth Service manager Jeanne O’Brian said while they received $25,000 in driver support funding a year, it wasn’t close to meeting the community’s needs.
‘‘What we get is very limiting. We have to seek donations from the community in order to get more done.’’
The youth service has a budget to support 25 learner licences, 30 restricted licences, and 15 full licences, but according to a recent report O’Brian submitted to their board, they had assisted people in achieving 73 learner, 52 restricted, and 12 full licences in the year to February 28.
The service runs a programme helping young people to navigating the stages of driver licences, including a defensive driving course, and one-on-one and group learner licence classes.
They also assist with identification forms and ordering birth certificates because many people didn’t have them, O’Brian said.
O’Brian said Dannevirke’s remote position meant a driver’s licence was essential for residents to be self-sufficient, not only for work, but also to attend hospital appointments, shopping and tertiary education. ‘‘We don’t have public transport here, or regular buses to take people to Palmy, so access to services for many rural people is vital.’’
Social Development and Employment minister Carmel Sepuloni said in a joint statement with Minister of Transport Michael Wood on May 4 that having a driver’s licence was a key requirement for up to 70% of jobs, but a large portion of the community could not access training or tests due to costs and other barriers.
This disproportionally disadvantaged Māori, Pasifika people, sole parents and rural communities.
Tararua College careers advisor Rachel Ireland said she hoped the funding would be funnelled into small rural communities such as Pahīatua.
In partnership with Talent Central in Palmerston North, the school received a small amount of funding to provide students with a driving instructor twice a week. She said it was the college’s goal for all students to achieve a restricted licence before they left school.
‘‘Without a licence you are pretty much stuffed. There is no public transport here, so it becomes a real struggle to get to work, or anywhere really, it has a big impact.’’
Funding was insufficient to meet objectives, and senior students were running out of time. ‘‘We have kids now, who are over 16, who are delayed in getting their learners. That then means they have less time here at school to get in the lessons and testing for their restricted, before they leave.’’