Want to drive this June King’s Birthday long weekend? You’d better be on your best behaviour, as some states in Australia have double demerit point penalties in effect for long weekends.
We’ll go through states (and regions) with, and states (and regions) without double demerit points, along with some of the fines you could incur in the process if you get stung on double demerit weekend.
Some states do not celebrate the King’s Birthday this June weekend, so this article only applies to Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, ACT, Northern Territory and South Australia. Western Australia and Queensland celebrate the monarch’s birthday later this year.
| State (or region) | Double demerit points? |
|---|---|
| Victoria | NO |
| New South Wales | YES |
| Tasmania | NO |
| Australian Capital Territory | YES |
| Northern Territory | NO |
| South Australia | NO |
How double demerit points work in Australia:
Victoria: No double demerit points in Victoria this long weekend.
New South Wales: New South Wales has double demerit points applied to this long weekend. It takes effect at 12:00 on the first day of the public holiday weekend and ends at midnight on the last day of the public holiday weekend.
Double demerit points in New South Wales apply for speeding, illegal use of a mobile phone, not wearing a seat belt, and riding without a motorcycle helmet.
Illegally using a mobile phone while driving while double demerited in New South Wales will attract five demerit points for example.
Tasmania: Tasmania does not have double demerit points during the holiday period or at any time during the year.
Australian Capital Territory: The Australian Capital Territory has the same double demerit point offense rules as New South Wales for long weekend periods.
Northern Territory: The Northern Territory does not have double demerit points during the holiday period or at any time during the year.
South Australia: South Australia does not have double demerit points during the holiday period or at any time during the year.
What happens if you travel interstate?
Now, one thing you need to remember is that if you travel interstate, the amount of fine and amount of demerit points from your home state is charged interstate.
So if you are traveling from New South Wales to Victoria during the double demerit period and you receive a speeding ticket in Victoria, you will get double demerit points.
Conversely, if you travel from Victoria to New South Wales during the double demerit period, you will receive a fine without double demerit points, as your home state does not have a double demerit point rule.