Ministerial Statement

Amy Gillett Foundation

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee—Minister for Transport and Infrastructure, Minister Assisting the Minister for Planning, Minister Assisting the Minister for Housing and Urban Development) (15:04): l seek leave to make a ministerial statement.

Leave granted.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: It is difficult to comprehend that just over 10 years ago one of our brightest and most promising sporting stars lost her life. On 18 July 2005, renowned cyclist and Australian women's team representative Amy Gillett was hit and killed by an out-of-control motorist while training in Germany. Amy had a successful career in rowing that saw her represent Australia at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 before becoming a champion cyclist. Following her tragic death, her family, together with the Australian Cycling Federation, subsequently founded the Amy Gillett Foundation, a national charity that aims to reduce the incidences of death and injury of bicycle riders.

The foundation undertakes work with governments across Australia, road authorities, motoring and cycling safety authorities, and the public to promote safe cycling in Australia. Their vision is to have zero bike rider fatalities. Some of the measures promoted by the foundation include widespread traffic calming, such as lower speed limits in urban areas, better cycling environments via targeted allocations of infrastructure spending on cycling improvements, changes to road rules to make it safer to ride on roads and shared use paths, and improved education for schoolchildren and learner drivers.

In recent years, the foundation has also promoted road safety campaigns, including 'a metre matters', which raises motorists' awareness of the need to provide a metre when overtaking bicycle riders, and 'It's a two-way street', which educates both drivers and bicycle riders about road rules, mutual respect and other important behaviours that are crucial when sharing the road. Ms Mary Safe, Amy Gillett's mother and ambassador for the foundation, delivers a road safety and life skills program, 'Remembering Amy for a Reason', to school-aged children.

In the past four years more than 16,000 children have accessed the program both here in South Australia and in Victoria. This outstanding work is a fitting tribute to Amy Gillett, and the state government is also committed to providing safe cycling environments that will also help us to achieve the targeted reduction in road trauma casualties detailed in South Australia's Road Safety Strategy 2020: Towards Zero Together.

We are reminded that from Amy Gillett's tragic death has come some very important work to help raise public awareness about cycling safety, including increased participation in cycling, greater safety awareness for all road users, and improved infrastructure to enable people to safely enjoy cycling. Along with a bikeway named in her honour, which connects the Adelaide Hills townships of Woodside and Oakbank, these influences will form part of Amy Gillett's legacy in South Australia. It is through all of this work that we will remember Amy.