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MPs to debate land licence abolition and drink-driving law

Parliament is set to debate proposals to abolish land licences for mixed-status couples, grant tax concessions for the redevelopment of Pink Beach Club and an agreement with the new owners of the Fairmont Hamilton Princess concerning Hamilton Harbour (the Queen’s Bottom).Lawmakers will also debate the Traffic Offences (Penalties) Amendment Act 2013 which would give drink-drivers an obligatory period of disqualification.The law would impose an obligatory 18-month period of disqualification on the first offence of driving while impaired, driving while over the legal blood-alcohol limit of 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood and refusing to submit to a breath test.A second offence carries an obligatory three-year disqualification, while any subsequent offences carry a five-year ban.The amendment also includes another offence — driving a motor car, auxiliary bicycle, cycle, or any other vehicle other than a motor car while under the influence of a dangerous drug.The offence carries the same penalty as driving while impaired by alcohol, with repeat offenders facing fines of up to $5,000, a ban of up to five years and as many as 12 traffic points.Offenders are also potentially subject to a period of imprisonment for up to a year on the first offence, 18 months on the second offence and two years for subsequent offences.While earlier amendments to the law increased the maximum penalty for drink-driving offences, they failed to state that periods of disqualification were mandatory.