A report from parliament has revealed a reality that learner drivers in Western NSW knew all too well, the current licensing experience is one that doesn’t come easy. 

The Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety recently tabled its report on support for rural and regional learner drivers, finding that current circumstances are lacklustre at best. 

Birrang Enterprise Development Company (Birrang) CEO Debbie Maguire oversees driving and licence assisting support programs across Western NSW. 

Ms Maguire says that when it comes to barriers to licensing, the list is long. 



“Access to roadworthy vehicles, access to proof of identity, access to supervised driving lessons…getting enough driving slots in the community,” are just a few factors Ms Maguire can recite. 

“It’s not like you can walk in any day and just go for a test. You book well in advance, there’s a shortage of testers,” she said. 

Funded by Transport NSW, Ms Maguire said the program is sufficient to support the licensing program, but they can only do so much with the few driving testers available to them. 

“All of our testers are based in Orange, bar two, and then they have to disperse out to the community,” Ms Maguire said. 

Reaching each community for just days at a time, it means there’s a long list of driver students who they can’t help every time. 

With a lack of public transport options and significant distance between towns and important services, the need for a licence in rural areas is much more obvious. 

Yet the disparity between driver support in the city versus country is in favour of city-based learner drivers. 

Committee Chair Lou Amato said that they’re looking towards alternative support options, particularly for those who don’t have access to a registered vehicle or licensed supervisor to fulfil their 120 hour driving requirement. 

“We received evidence from a number of stakeholders which suggests that driving simulators may have benefits. However, at this stage, we need more time to evaluate their suitability at replicating the on-road driving experience,” Ms Amato said. 

Currently, Birrang tries to fill this need by matching learner drivers with licensed members of the community who are willing to help fill hours, but it has prevented a lot of students from completing their training. 

With some barriers difficult to combat, however, Ms Maguire is impressed with the Transport NSW model they are funded under (Driver Licensing Access Program).

“If they weren’t funding these programs, the hundreds and hundreds of students getting licences each year may not achieve that,” she said. 

The report's 21 recommendations focus on expanding the eligibility criteria for participation in specific driving programs and increasing ongoing support for rural and regional drivers.