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Call for dramatic change to Australian driver's licences

Australians could be in for a change to their driver’s licence, if Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese gets his way.

Mr Albanese told The Daily Telegraph there’s an opportunity to scrap state driver’s licences in favour of national ones.

He added when he was transport minister under the Rudd-Gillard Government he attempted to get a consensus but wasn’t successful.

A Queensland Driver's Licence is pictured.
Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese wants to see state driver's licences scrapped, such as this Queensland one, in favour of a national scheme. Source: Department of Transport and Main Roads (file pic)

The leader of the ALP said a national system “makes sense”.

“There are legitimate differences between the states but some of it is just bureaucratic,” Mr Albanese told the paper.

He believes the opportunity is there ahead of states reopening borders which were shut during the coronavirus pandemic.

Brisbane's Riverside Expressway
The Labor leader argues a national licence would be simpler and will avoid the bureaucratic differences between existing state licensing systems. Source: AAP (file pic)

Differences between states include costs and testing.

For example, a NSW unrestricted licence costs $138 for three years. In Victoria, three years costs $82.80 and in Queensland $139.20.

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