The Government has launched a consultation on proposed changes to the Graduated Driver Licensing System (GDLS), aiming to make it cheaper and easier to obtain a licence while promoting safer driving.

Proposed changes include removing the full car licence test, introducing a clean driving record requirement at the restricted stage, lowering the demerit threshold for novice drivers, expanding zero-alcohol limits to all learners and restricted drivers, reducing vision test requirements, and enabling more digital licensing services.

Driving Change Network Response

The Driving Change Network acknowledges the intent to improve access and lower costs for drivers. We welcome the proposal for a zero-alcohol limit for all learner and restricted drivers, and support moves to digitise services and reduce cost barriers. However, the overall package of reforms falls short of the Government’s responsibility to ensure that all drivers are skilled, confident, and safe on our roads.

“Replacing the full licence test with a ‘good behaviour’ period and increasing penalties by reducing the demerit threshold does not build safer roads or better drivers,” says Wendy Robertson, National Director of the Driving Change Network.

“These changes risk weakening the licensing system—particularly in the absence of any clear commitment to investment in driver education and on-road training.”

This proposal sends the wrong message: that a licence can be earned by simply not being caught doing wrong, rather than by demonstrating the skills, knowledge, and experience required to drive safely. While good behaviour is important, it is no substitute for structured, practical learning and assessment.

The Government appears to have cherry-picked features from overseas systems—such as Australia’s probationary model—without adopting the comprehensive training, supervised on-road hours, and structured education that make those systems effective.

“This proposal removes key safety checkpoints and shifts focus to punitive measures and administrative convenience,” says Robertson.
“What’s missing is a clear, evidence-based pathway that actually supports drivers to learn well in the first place.”

To create a driver licensing system that truly supports both safety and equity, the Driving Change Network urges the Government to:

Embed education at the start – Make the Anywhere, Anytime online learner licence platform available nationwide, alongside the introduction of a hazard perception test at the learner stage.

Require a minimum number of supervised on-road hours during the learner phase to ensure practical driving experience and real-world skill development.

Retain a pathway to a full licence that combines verified good behaviour with structured driver education—not just the removal of a test.

Maintain strong penalties for unsafe behaviours such as speeding, using mobile phones while driving, or failing to wear seatbelts.

Invest in community-based training programmes, especially those that serve disadvantaged, rural, and high-needs communities.

A truly effective licensing system must be built on education, accessibility, and safety—not shortcuts. By removing essential safety assessments without strengthening how drivers are trained, the proposal risks exacerbating inequities and road harm.

The Driving Change Network calls on the Government to reframe this reform agenda—from cost-cutting to capability-building—so that every New Zealander has a fair, supported, and safe pathway to becoming a licensed driver.

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