The French Consulate in Sydney has also agreed to assist a new, stricter verification process for applying for a NSW licence after evidence of fake documentation being used by visiting French nationals.
Anyone applying for an NSW licence with a French licence and documents is now having their paperwork checked by the Transport for NSW Licence Integrity & Security team.
Evidence of abuses of the demerit point system by mainly French nationals, who have racked up 1000-plus demerit points in some extreme cases, led to the establishment of the
Demerit Point Taskforce, made up of representatives of Transport for NSW, NSW Police and Revenue NSW.
The Taskforce has identified widespread nominations of other drivers on international licences as a weakness in the system that must be tightened.
In some cases, people who visited Australia but have already left, or even foreigners who have never set foot in the country, are being nominated to take points by a small cohort who are defying road rules.
An individual in one extreme case racked up more than 1500 demerit points, and two others more than 500 demerits, before the system caught up with them.
The Taskforce has asked and received the assistance of Border Force to more quickly establish whether a nominated driver could have even been behind the wheel of a car or riding a motorbike based on their passport record.
In cases where they were not even in Australia, the system will be able to more quickly put the fine and demerit points back to the driver who falsely nominated someone else.
Between May 2022 and January 2024, 125,000 penalties carrying 256,000 demerit points were issued to drivers identified by Revenue NSW as ‘international drivers’.
A review of those found that some drivers nominated to take the penalty were unknown to Australian authorities and may have had their details procured from the dark web. As many as 40,000 fitted this category.
Offences were also nominated to people who hold international licences but were at the same time Australian citizens or permanent residents – some of whom hold a separate
Australian licence unaffected by taking points on their foreign licence.
The Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce has suspended the licences of more than 50 repeat offenders, including French nationals linked to an address in Rosebery used by 30 licence holders, who together accumulated more than 2000 demerit points.
The Taskforce is finalising wider recommendations.
From 1 March 2025, long-term temporary visa holders who arrived in NSW before 1 July 2023 will be required to obtain NSW driver licence.
This new requirement ensures that overseas visitors who wish to drive in NSW meet the state’s road safety standards.
Minister for Roads John Graham said:
“There are more than six million law-abiding licence holders in NSW and on their behalf, we are showing zero tolerance for this tiny minority who have sought to exploit the system that allows the honest nomination of another driver.
“Above all else it is a threat to road safety to allow people to remain on the road who are notching up demerit points like confetti, avoiding paying fines, and in many cases leaving the country just as the system begins to catch up with them.
“I thank Australian Border Force and the French Consulate for their assistance in tightening the net around this small clique of dedicated lawbreakers.
“This is the first step in a wider crackdown by the Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce and we will have more changes to announce ahead.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:
“In regional areas, driving isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity. Reckless driving puts lives at risk, and we cannot afford to let that happen. That’s why it’s crucial to have a demerit points system that works for everyone, whether you live in the city or in a country town.
“To ensure this, we’re committed to implementing stronger checks and cracking down on fraudulent behaviour. No one should be able to exploit loopholes and avoid the consequences of dangerous driving.
“Road safety is a top priority for the Minns Labor Government, and we will leave no stone unturned to reduce road trauma and make our roads safer for everyone.”
