Actually, in most states of Australia - definitely NSW where I live, you need a yearly "pink slip" before your car can be registered for another year. The severity of the rego inspection varies a bit depending on where you take it, but the brake testing has to be done properly with a printout of the reading. Foolestroupe in Queensland is in one of the few states that doesn't require a rego inspection certificate - possibly the only one - I'm not sure. If a car is under 3 years old, the inspection is not required.

At the same time, we have to buy compulsory 3rd party insurance (against personal injury to other parties), which is a green slip. This actually costs considerably more than the registration itself. This, along with the cost of the repairs that are often necessary with old cars, makes 'rego' time something that many car owners do not look forward to.