Norm led the development of the Amuri Irrigation Company for over 30 years, which currently irrigates 28,000ha of highly productive dairy land in the Amuri Basin, previously dry land sheep farms.
The scheme is multi-award-winning for its environmental management and productive efficiencies.
Norm was acknowledged by the industry last year in receiving the Ron Cocks Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership in Irrigation.
So perhaps it is no great surprise that he is also acknowledged by the King.
But here’s an interesting family thing.
Two brothers, farm boys from Maungaturoto, both attending WBHS, both gaining agricultural degrees and following a similar career path until about age 30.
Both receiving royal honours in later life, in quite different fields. That’s probably a little unusual, and pretty special.
An unpleasant surprise, though, is what this column is all about.
That’s the surprise some recidivist, high-risk drivers get when the police knock on their door to take back their driver’s licence as a result of exceeding 100 demerit points.
The driver licence merit point system has recently come on the radar as a result of Government proposals to reduce the demerit threshold to 50 points for novice drivers.
This change is part of a proposal to revamp the graduated driver licence system, with the intent of improving access to driver licensing while maintaining road safety outcomes.
Part of the issue with this is that the whole fines and penalty system for traffic violations has not been reviewed since 1999 and is so inconsistent with the severity of events it relates to that ad hoc changes could be lost in the translation for effectiveness.
Demerits are otherwise known as non-monetary instruments for safe driving. One of the key goals is to reduce repeat offences by drivers, by specifically targeting such individuals and increasing the penalties for repeated misconduct.
Each type of offence is assigned a certain number of points based on the severity of the offence. Exceed 100 points in New Zealand and your driver’s licence is suspended.
In theory, demerit point systems contribute to road safety through three mechanisms.
1 Prevention of unsafe behaviour through receiving demerit points.
2 Selection and suspension of the most frequent offenders.
3 Correction of the unsafe behaviour through an education element.
For the system to work well, there must be high probability of detection of the offence, frequent communication with offenders when they are near the demerit point threshold, and timely licence suspension.
In addition, points need to be meted out for offences that are automatically detected, such as speed and safety camera offences; non-wearing of seatbelts; cellphone use while driving; red light running; and not just those offences caught by the police.
Demerit point suspension needs to happen within seven days of the limit being reached, rather than years later, as has occurred in New Zealand.
The system has a high feelgood factor – punish the hoons with licence suspension and do it quickly for young offenders and boy racers. The research into effectiveness, though, is not that clear.
One study identified that crash risk among drivers in Queensland was higher rather than lower after they received penalties for a traffic infringement.
A Canadian study suggested the small group of serious offenders do not care about the consequences of a demerit point system and carried on driving in the same manner as before.
The point is that while serious offenders don’t really care, they are a small group.
A study done by NZ Transport Agency in 2019 indicated that only 0.2% of drivers had had a suspension in over a decade, while 60% having never had a demerit point.
Over 90% of drivers who had received demerit points reported having them for exceeding the speed limit, but had not reoffended. Multiple offenders were 2.5 times more likely to be aged 15 to 24 years, were more likely to have less driving experience, be male and born in New Zealand or the Pacific Islands.
The biggest thing about demerits is the high chance of getting caught with enforcement, and the need for early suspension after the limit has been exceeded.
Getting a surprise visit from the police a significant time afterwards doesn’t cut it as a deterrent, but that visit should not really be a surprise!
