Lawmakers in Queensland, Australia are upset that a company has offered to alert motorists of upcoming roadblocks and mobile speed camera traps. The state government will introduce legislation banning commercial cell phone text messaging services that provide such alerts, with each offense carrying a $7500 AUD fine.

Currently, Road Spy is the only company offering alerts to some about two hundred customers on the Gold Coast. The new service relies on three hundred taxi drivers to report traffic hazards and police ticketing operations. For example, police often create a roadblock that subjects every passing motorist to a drunk driving breath test, which can cause significant delays. When such a roadblock is spotted, an alert is issued to each subscriber, allowing those in the area to use alternate routes to arrive at their destination without delay.

For now, the parliament is not considering action against radio stations that alert listeners to the location of speed traps.