The Queensland Government has said it will consider changing drug driving laws, following backlash around the sentencing of NRL star Ezra Mam.
Mam was suspended from driving for 6 months after crashing his car and failing a subsequent drug test. He was also fined $850.
Qld Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie described the punishment as “disgraceful” and a “slap on the wrist”.
Ezra Mam context
In October, Mam failed a roadside and secondary drug test after his vehicle crossed the centre line of the road and he crashed head-on into another car. A four-year-old girl was injured in the crash.
The 21-year-old, who has a five-year, $4 million contract with the Brisbane Broncos, was driving without a licence at the time.
Earlier this week, Mam pleaded guilty to driving with a drug present in his system, and driving without a licence. The court fined him $850 and suspended him from driving for six months, but did not record a conviction.
The NRL Integrity Unit is still investigating the matter.
The fine imposed on Mam is less than the maximum available penalty of $2,258, and less than the maximum penalty for using a phone while driving ($1,209).
What they said
Qld Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said: Most Queenslanders would expect that the penalty for a driver who’s found to have drugs in their system would be more severe than the penalty for using a mobile phone behind the wheel. I will be consulting with my colleagues… and considering what changes can be made to our laws”.
