Motor Vehicles (Motor Bike Driver Licensing) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 12 November 2020.)

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (15:44): I rise in support of this legislation, the Motor Vehicles (Motor Bike Driver Licensing) Amendment Bill 2020. I want to note that we have had some great discussions on our side of the house with our ministers, our cabinet and our whole team in regard to this bill to get to some sensible outcomes. Certainly, something we need to reflect on—and I will get into some more detail in a moment—is the high accident and death rate amongst motorbike riders in this state.

Motorbike riding is a very enjoyable experience. At the farm, I have a Yamaha 660 quad, and I am a bit dismayed that quad bikes probably will not be imported after this year because of concerns of rollovers and accidents. The issue is that it might have a tangential effect on what people think are other safer vehicles for use on properties and stations, and there could be some issues around that. I do not discount that there have been some terrible injuries on quad bikes on farms, and I think the issue of rollovers and accidents needs more of a look at in regard to their use.

Certainly, in regard to the use of motorbikes on the road, I know there have been different schemes of graduated licensing, especially for learner riders. Years ago, a learner rider could buy as big a motorbike as they liked. Sometimes, sadly, they were dead very quickly on their first ride. At one stage, there was a limit of 250cc, but motorbike companies managed to get them powered up so that they could go pretty well. It came down to power to weight ratio, and there are some interesting dynamics on how that is measured.

Noting the schemes we have for car licensing, with there being basically four years before you can have a full car licence, it was critical that we got some reality for country riders, and my family is a case in point. My eldest son is 19, and he got his motorbike licence when he was 16. I was quite happy for him to do that. He wanted to put road wheels on it—he has a WR250F with trail bike-style tyres. He wanted to bring it to Adelaide and use it for going into university. I said, 'No, I think we will do something better than that.' At the time, he was 18, and he said, 'I can do what I like.' I said, 'You can do what you like, but I'm not going to bury my son. I have heard of too many stories of people who never get over burying a son or daughter who has had a tragic accident,' and you can understand why.

I said to Mack, 'It's not your riding skill I'm worried about,' because what I have seen him do off-road is incredible, 'it's just that people don't see you'. You are a very small object out there amongst a lot of cars, trucks and a lot of objects on the road that are a lot heavier than a motorbike. Anyway, three years down the track and I have another son about to get his licence. It was interesting that it was raised in question time. We had some changes around him getting his learner's licence. He has his learner's and he is only a couple of months away from getting his P1s, and that is a good thing.

Certainly, in regard to the motorbike licensing regime, both my boys have worked in the region as recently as this harvest. Mack was working for Viterra at Coonalpyn, just down the road from where we live at Coomandook, and Angus was working for the Weckert family, who lease our property, operating the chaser bin and other jobs over harvest. The simple fact was that the only way he could get to work was on his motorbike, or get picked up and dropped off, so it was far more convenient.

Even knowing this legislation had not been in place, he did the rider training course at Murray Bridge, and I fully commend the program for rider training. It has riders of varying skills from nil skill through to people like my boys who have learnt to ride for quite a few years on the farm. I could go on with a whole range of stories of various things about off-road riding but that is not what we are here for today.

I think the training at those preliminary learners' training weekends is absolutely fantastic and there is an advanced course to go on further. I think it is a must. For the very reason I said before, it is not so much about the skill level of the rider, and you have to have that, noting that there are quite a few people who go to those training days who may not even have sat on a motorbike before or not had much experience. The more we can do to train them, the better off it is.

Sadly, if you look at the whole picture of motorbike accidents—and they feature too heavily in crash statistics throughout the state—there are people in the older brackets of plus 40, plus 50, which sadly I am in, who are out on their bikes and too many of them feature in accidents as well, so it is not just the youth. Last year, I was at the Training Awards for apprentices and trainees at Murray Bridge and one of the lads who was talked about that night was an apprentice or trainee, I cannot remember which, who crashed into a tree and subsequently lost his life. I do not know how family could ever manage the grief. They would never get over it.

We had some work done through the University of Adelaide in 2018 at the Centre for Automotive Safety Research. They released a report which outlined the key elements of an improved graduated licensing scheme for motorbike riders. It was prompted by the number of motorcycle fatalities increasing from eight in 2016 to 24 in 2017.

As I have indicated, the licensing scheme is a staged approach to obtain a full licence, with learners commencing in relatively low-risk situations. As a novice rider grows in knowledge, skills and on-road experience, the restrictions are gradually lifted as they progress through to an intermediate stage and then on to a full licence.

I note the shadow minister in May 2019 and in March 2020 introduced to parliament a private member's bill which, amongst other provisions, raised the minimum age at which a person can be issued a motorcycle learner's permit from 16 years to 17 years. That private member's bill did not include any exemptions for young people living in regional South Australia. But in January 2020, the Marshall Liberal government committed to introducing in parliament balanced reforms to the Graduated Licensing Scheme for motorcyclists.

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport conducted a period of detailed stakeholder consultation on a draft amendment bill in June-July 2020. This bill gives effect to many of the recommendations and strengthens the motorcycle Graduated Licensing Scheme whilst providing those much needed exemptions for young people living in regional South Australia. As I spoke about earlier, there has been a form of graduated licensing in South Australia since 1989, with incremental improvements having been made over the past 30-odd years.

Primarily, the additional measures were focused on the Graduated Licensing Scheme for drivers rather than riders. The most recent improvements for the Graduated Licensing Scheme were introduced by the former Labor government back in 2014, with the exception of introducing night-time driving restrictions for learner motorcyclists under the age of 25 who do not hold a P2 or a full car licence. The improvements were targeted solely at novice riders.

Between 2015 and 2019, the trend in the young rider casualties, fatalities and serious injuries increased by an average of 12.5 per cent, whilst the trend in young driver casualties decreased by an average of 7.7 per cent. Recent research indicates that riders of motorcycles have a higher risk of injury and fatality than other road users and research also indicates that novice motorcyclists have a higher risk of crashing than experienced riders.

Crash statistics in this state obviously show that motorcyclists are over-represented in lives lost on our roads. Between 2015 and 2019, motorcycles on average accounted for 4 per cent of all registered vehicles; however (and this shows the link), motorcycle riders accounted for 15 per cent of all road fatalities and 19 per cent of serious injuries. The data also indicates that young riders in that young age group—the 16 to 19-year-old age group—are particularly over-represented. These young people account for approximately 5 per cent of the state's population yet accounted for 10.3 per cent of all the motorcyclist fatalities and serious injuries between 2015 and 2019.

A key component of keeping the good people of South Australia safe on the road is ensuring that road users have the necessary training and experience to be safe and responsible, so an improved Graduated Licensing Scheme for motorcycle riders will achieve this. The report I mentioned previously assessed studies from across the world to identify potential components for an improved motorcycle Graduated Licensing Scheme that had the greatest evidence of effectiveness.

CASR found that younger riders, whether new or fully licensed, have more crashes per distance travelled than older drivers. They also found that age, irrespective of experience, is an important factor in determining the risk of crash. At 16, South Australia currently has the equal lowest minimum age for motorcycle learner's permits in Australia, equal to the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It has therefore been recommended that the minimum age at which a person can obtain a motorcycle learner's permit be increased from 16 to 18 years of age. I just want to note that my youngest lad is still 16.

Currently, learner riders in South Australia are permitted to carry a pillion passenger who is a qualified supervising rider but, given the potential source of distraction that a pillion passenger can present and as the weight of any pillion passenger does increase the difficulty for a rider to remain balanced, it is also recommended that learner riders be prohibited from carrying any pillion passenger, including a qualified supervising rider.

At present, the law states that a learner rider aged under 25 who does not hold a driver's licence must hold a learner's permit for at least 12 months, whilst those over 25 must hold a learner's permit for at least six months. If a learner rider holds a driver's licence, it is recommended that they hold their learner's permit for a minimum of six months; however, this is not a requirement. A key component of the licensing scheme is to ensure that novice riders have the time to accumulate the necessary skills and experience to be safe riders. It is also recommended that the length of time taken to progress from a learner's permit to a full licence be three years.

Therefore, the minimum period a learner's permit must be held will be 12 months regardless of age or any other licences held. Accordingly, the minimum age at which a person can obtain an R-Date licence (provisional stage) will be 19 years; and an R-Date licence must then be held for a minimum of two years. As a result of these requirements, the minimum age a person can obtain a full R licence classification will be 21 years.

As I have outlined an example from my family, I would like to acknowledge the work that children and young people do in regional areas in South Australia. It does not have to be farm work; it might be getting to other work, whether it is in the fast food sector, a service station, or working in a range of roles such as a trainee in an electorate office. That might be the only way they have to get around, and I acknowledge that a vital part of this legislation is the exemption for regional riders because of the access they need, especially with the lack of public transport in country areas.

There was extensive stakeholder and community consultation in regard to this reform, and there was broad support for the majority of measures. Although community support for raising the minimum age to obtain a learner's permit to 18 years was lower than other measures, the exemptions included in this bill are likely to address much of the concern in the community. I think this will be a great measure not only for keeping people alive but also for getting young people on the road and able to get to work.

I did have the debate with my 18-year-old son at the time, young Mack, when he indicated that he was an adult and could do what he liked. I am just glad that now he has a '98 VS Holden Statesman, and he managed to get an exemption for that. It is a five-litre automatic, and it is fantastic, and he has far more steel around him than if he was riding a motorbike, and he is more than happy propelling that car around, whether it is in the city or taking it home to Coomandook.

I have heard too many stories from people who will never get over the grief of losing a young child to any accident, whether it be a motorbike accident or a car accident. I have certainly seen that in my local area at home. I do not think the pain and suffering would ever go away, so we must do everything we can to make people safer on the roads. A lot of people think it is a great imposition (and I have had this discussion with my boys around driver's licences and motorbike licences), but I say that it is the reality of being safe, of being able to get out and of not just surviving on the road but thriving.

It takes four years to get a full driver's licence, and it will now be several years to get a full motorbike licence, but at least you can ride on your own bike with a learner's permit and get an exemption as a 16 year old in a country area.

You might be a young bloke or a young lady riding between properties for your family or someone you work for, and it is vitally needed in those areas for access and for all the other roles I indicated earlier—just for the simple reason of getting around. The other side of it is that obviously you simply cannot do it on a learner's permit in a car because you need someone with you. It is especially vital for the 16-year-old to 17-year-old age group to have access for getting to work and for the commuting they need to do.

Again, I must commend riding courses and the great job they do for the various skills of the people who take them. They give a valuable grounding in motorbike control and operation. Sadly, over times past, some people got their licence, thought that was great and, back in the day, they would buy a 900 Kawasaki, go out onto the road and it was all over in about five minutes. We cannot have that; we just cannot have that.

We will never stop the accidents completely, but the more we can do within reason not only to keep people safe but give them the right access to be on the road, I think is a step in the right direction and I commend the bill.

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (16:04): I rise to speak on the Motor Vehicles (Motor Bike Driver Licensing) Amendment Bill 2020 and indicate that the opposition is intending to support the passage of this bill through this house, as always reserving our right to re-examine in the other place. I sincerely hope we can get through this today; it does not appear that we will. It does not appear that will get through the committee—

The Hon. V.A. Chapman: Why not?

Mr ODENWALDER: Well, I'm certainly hoping we can. I am open to finishing this bill today. We need to break at 4.30pm for other business, but I am hoping we can get through it expeditiously. This is a bill that has been a long time coming. I do think that some of the changes the government has made have some merit, and we will be talking about them in the committee stage, but I do not think it was worth 2½ years of waiting. I think we could have easily made some quick amendments to my bill and got this through 2½ years ago.

In any case, it is worth going quickly over the history. In 2017, there was a very large spike in motorcycle deaths and road trauma on our roads, so much so that a delegation came to see the then minister, the member for Kaurna, and urged him to take some action on specifically motorcycle road safety. As the previous speaker said, he commissioned a report from the Centre for Automotive Safety Research at the University of Adelaide, and they came back with a report recommending, among other things, an improved graduated licensing system.

Then, of course, there was the election. The CASR report sat on the minister's shelf for the best part of the year before, in frustration, the Motorcycle Riders Association, the Ulysses Club and others came to see me and the Leader of the Opposition begging for help. They had not been listened to by the government and they wanted help. They thought that this graduated licensing scheme, as outlined in the CASR report, was an essential component—not everything, and we will come to that—of making learner, young and novice riders safer on our roads.

I introduced a bill in May 2019 to this place and reintroduced it after prorogation. It is one of the oldest bills in this place, but not the oldest; the oldest was disposed of 10 minutes ago, I hope. It has sat on the Wednesday morning Notice Paper since then and was voted down many, many times by the government. We were told they were seeking consultation. If you talk to the motorcycle riders groups of various stripes, they will tell you that that consultation has not been particularly rigorous, particularly under the previous minister, although they do speak more highly of the current minister, it has to be said.

That is the history of it, and I think we have been over and over it. I am glad to finally see this legislation here. I will not go over the various provisions because, as I said, I hope to see this passed as quickly as possible, and the member for Hammond did a sterling job going over the provisions. I do think that there are a couple of differences in the bill we see today and in another bill. Although I understand it is unparliamentary, it is very difficult to speak about this bill without speaking about an almost identical bill, but I will press on until I am pulled up.

This bill, rather than mandate a 17-year-old lower limit for a learner's permit, pushes it up to 18. I admit that this is entirely consistent with the CASR report and, presumably, the research behind the CASR report. I spoke to, among others, the Motorcycle Riders' Association, the Ulysses Club and those groups they represent. They were very strongly of the opinion (and, as far as I am aware, still are very strongly of the opinion) that a balance should be made, and that balance would be to bring it down to the age of 17.

I am not going to press that point in this place. I think if the experts in CASR recommend a certain age limit, then I think that road safety and the experts' advice on road safety trumps consultation in this case. With that in mind, I will back the government's measure in this house to raise the learner's age from 16, through 17 to 18.

I should say that the government bill is almost identical in most other respects; it adds plenty of conditions and lengthens the graduated periods. But the main other difference is the carve out for rural riders. I will support that through this place, pending any disasters in the committee stage, but I do have various questions on how some of those clauses were arrived at. Presumably there was some consultation, if only with regional members of the Liberal Party; in any case, I intend to support those clauses because I think they may well serve a good purpose in some cases.

Again, in the spirit of expeditiously getting through this legislation, I will conclude my remarks and commend this bill to the house. So that I will not have to indulge in a third reading speech, I particularly want to thank the members of the Motorcycle Riders' Association, above all other groups, for their advice and for how forthcoming they have been with information and access throughout this process over the past few years.

I have built what I think is a solid relationship and friendship with some of those people and I hope that continues. I look forward to working together, while in opposition and in government, with the Motorcycle Riders' Association and their associated groups in furthering the interests of motorcycle road safety in this state.

Mr ELLIS (Narungga) (16:10): I rise today to speak on the bill currently before the house, which will change the law surrounding the way in which this wonderful state of South Australia governs motorbike rider licensing. The Motor Vehicles (Motor Bike Driver Licensing) Amendment Bill is in response to recent and some would say prolonged media attention surrounding the tragic deaths of motorcyclists on South Australian roads.

I would like to take this opportunity right at the start to commend the minister for attempting to solve that problem. Every single life lost on our roads is an absolute tragedy, and I note another one this week found its way into our news. They are absolute tragedies and anything the government can do in order to make our roads that little bit safer should be investigated. I believe this particular government has made great strides in addressing road surfaces on regional roads, which are one of the great causes of road fatalities. Those fixes have been long overdue and are certainly very welcome in our regional communities.

While this bill has good intentions at its heart, I do fear that it will not necessarily achieve its goal. Riding a motorbike is an inherently dangerous choice. There are none of the protections from which a car benefits: no enclosed structures to protect the driver, no airbags, no ABS brakes—none of the safety benefits that a car offers. Choosing to ride a motorbike is choosing a more dangerous mode of transport than might otherwise be on offer.

There are certainly other benefits that come along with choosing to ride a motorbike—a great deal many benefits, in fact—but it is unarguably a more dangerous choice. In my view, the only way to become a safer motorbike rider is through practice. One of the effects of this bill, which has already been well discussed in debate, will be to lift the age at which an aspirational motorbike rider can first obtain his or her learner's permit from 16 to 18. I worry that this will just shift the statistics from one age bracket to another.

The bill will succeed in ensuring that learner riders aged 16 to 18 will be much safer, but will give cause to a rise in the number of crashes involving those who have just turned 18 and obtained their learner's permit for the first time. The problem will remain, in my view, but will shift to a different age group. As I have said, the only way to become a better motorbike rider is by practice. With this bill, riders will only be able to begin to practise at 18 years of age. I think that view is shared in the very first paragraph of the Adelaide University paper entitled, 'Recommendations for a graduated licensing system for motorcyclists in South Australia'.

I equate it to speed limits. Every now and then, there is a concerted media push over the road toll in South Australia and politicians respond, eager to do something, and look for the levers they can pull in order to satisfy that media pressure. They often turn to the cheapest option: lowering the speed limit. Inevitably, that speed limit will be lowered. This happens on country and metropolitan roads. By far, the most famous—or perhaps infamous—example has been the repeated, concerted efforts of the former Labor government to lower the speed limits on country roads rather than spend money on fixing them.

Speeding impacts road tolls, not speed limits. Statistics show there has been no appreciable difference in the road toll in the past decade, despite those concerted and repeated efforts by the former Labor government. In 2010, there were 118 fatalities on our road; in 2019, there were 114. In 2008, there were only 99 and, in 2016, there were 117. As I have said, motorcycling is a dangerous mode of transport.

In the years between and including 2017 and 2020, there were 24, 10, 17 and 19 fatalities on motorbikes, an average of 18 per year. Between 2012 and 2016, fatalities on motorcycles accounted for 12 per cent of total road fatalities and 17 per cent of serious injuries. Raising the minimum age of the licence is an attempt to limit newly licensed drivers to more mature prospective riders.

In a New Zealand study that was referenced in the Adelaide University paper, it was found that riders over the age of 25 had less than half the risk of those in the 15 to 19-year-old age bracket. It would seem inferred at least from that study that riders aged 18, who now stand to be brand-new learner drivers under the plan that is presented in this bill before us, have the same or at least a very similar risk profile to those in the current learner age bracket. It might be that 18 year olds are not all that much more mature than those who currently enjoy learner permit benefits.

As has been discussed already, there are significant difficulties providing training to motorbike learner riders, and it has been long accepted that it is unsafe for motorbikes to carry pillion passengers. Where car learner drivers have the benefit of a more experienced instructor riding along with them in the passenger seat, motorbike riders do not have that benefit.

However, I support an exploration of ways to provide young motorbike drivers with more comprehensive driving skills, such as defensive techniques around the dangers of travelling in variable conditions, such as on gravel or dirt, in rain, at night and through heavy traffic, and how to navigate poor surfaces, loose road edging and real-life road hazards. On country roads, in particular, all drivers experience challenging variable road conditions and widths, and all inexperienced drivers would benefit from additional training to make them safer.

I will be supporting this bill primarily because there has been an exemption provided for regional people. I have been assured by the minister and departmental officials that regional people will be able to ride their motorbike for certain reasons and that the benefit of the doubt will be given to those riders seeking to utilise those exemptions.

Regional people will be able to ride their motorbike to work and to other important engagements, like sporting events, as long as they carry a letter explaining their commitment on their person. This will include young farm workers required to travel across public roads and from paddock to paddock, which I am aware is common practice and undertaken on family farm motorbikes. I have been assured that it is envisaged that a letter from the parents on the novice rider will be sufficient evidence of the proper use of that exemption.

I have also been assured that there will be no extra bureaucratic burden placed on regional riders who need their licence to operate in their daily lives. Sixteen-year-old regional riders who wish to use their motorbike for legitimate uses will be able to show up to the motor registry in the same way that an 18-year-old rider would do so in the city. They will be able to access their licence in the same way that those in the city would, but will only be able to ride their motorbike for legitimate purposes under the exemption.

Finally, I have also been assured that the exemption is not designed to be prescriptive, rather that common sense should apply to enforcing it. Police should be empowered to allow regional riders to use their licence for legitimate purposes and give the benefit of the doubt to regional riders in policing it.

I will be supporting this bill and I anticipate that life will remain largely the same for regional riders. This is a wonderful, pragmatic outcome from this government that recognise that motorbikes are necessary for lots of regional people. In addition to that, the government has recognised that lower traffic roads, like regional roads, are less dangerous than busy metropolitan roads for novice riders. Despite my willingness to support this bill, I do retain concerns that lifting the minimum age for a learner permit will only shift the statistics from one age bracket to another age bracket. Sixteen-year-old riders will be immeasurably safer, but I sincerely doubt whether 18-year-old riders will be.

Mr McBRIDE (MacKillop) (16:18): I rise today to briefly highlight my support for the Motor Vehicles (Motor Bike Driver Licensing) Amendment Bill. I thank previous speakers for their contributions to the debate on this bill.

It is well recognised that the operation of a motorcycle on our roads carries a higher risk of death or serious injury compared to other road users. I reference the statistics highlighted by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services in his second reading of this bill that on average over a five-year period motorcycles account for 15 per cent of all lives lost and 19 per cent of serious injuries on South Australian roads.

These statistics are concerning and I am pleased that our government has seen fit to take action to amend and strengthen the provisions of the graduated licensing scheme with a view to providing perimeters that are targeted at driving these statistics down. Too many families have loved ones taken on our roads. I believe that the steps proposed in this bill can play a part in preventing loss and trauma.

The enhancements to the Graduated Licensing Scheme are focused on creating an environment where learner riders can gain important experience while driving under learner and probationary conditions. The measures detailed in this bill have been developed following the 2018 report recommendation for a graduated licensing system for motorcyclists in South Australia, prepared by the University of Adelaide's Centre for Automotive Safety Research. The measures were developed following community feedback and, I am informed, are supported by key stakeholders.

The provisions of the bill include that the minimum age to obtain a motorcycle learner's permit will move from 16 years to 18 years. This change aligns the responsibility for driving a motorcycle with the increasing maturity of our younger people as they progress through their teens. Notwithstanding this age change, from a regional member's perspective, in recognition of the limited transport options in regional South Australia, I welcome the provisions to allow for an exemption from the 18-year minimum age for young people living in regions. This flexibility is needed for our regional communities.

We know that in regions people often have to travel significant distances on a daily basis to go about their lives, work, education and recreation. From a practical perspective, this travel can be better facilitated for some of our young people through the use of a motorcycle. The provisions allow for an exemption, which will allow for the restricted motorcycle learner's permit for people who are at least 16 years of age. The bill provides that these young regional people are restricted in the use of a motorbike for the purpose of travel, where they are allowed to travel from their home to work, sporting activities, tertiary or vocational-based education.

While it is typically parents who assist to develop the skills of young drivers in our cars, there are some individuals who see a need to choose motorcycles as a mode of transport in order to achieve greater independence. The exemption will allow young apprentices to travel to work and vocational education. It provides flexibility for them to travel to sport practice and to competition, which would only otherwise be possible if they were dropped off by parents or another licensed driver.

I just want to make a point about the fact that we do have experience in this area with young people needing a motorcycle, particularly in agriculture. As highlighted by the members for Hammond and Narungga, agriculture does use motorbikes. It is important for these young people coming onto the property, who are given what I would call stock bikes, bikes that are used for mustering stock, which are generally bikes that are durable to go across either smooth or rough terrain, to also use our roads. They have to use them in a legal sense, so it is really absolutely significant. This government recognises that.

The other thing about this opportunity for young people is that getting people to stay in the country and giving young people the opportunity to be independent is actually going to help drive that workforce in regional South Australia and keep those young people in the regions forever and a day because they have started there, they did not have to move to the city, they did not have to think, 'Oh, I've got to go to the city because I can't even get to work or a workplace,' because everything is so restrictive because there is no public transport out there, for example. It is a wonderful analogy that this exemption has been made.

Another point that I think has not been picked up on in any discussion so far is that a motorbike is a cheap form of transport. It is one of the reasons that a lot of agricultural businesses move from horses to motorbikes and have not progressed any further, other than where necessary, e.g., aircraft, four-wheel-drive vehicles, helicopters and the like. The motorbike is still a very, very simple mode of transport. It is a cheap mode of transport. It is easy to maintain. It does not require a lot of energy and it does require a fair amount of skill and discipline to ride and drive these motorbikes without injury.

It is one of those things that we are constantly working with. It is constantly recognised. It is one of those things that we as managers are constantly working with staff to enforce. Obviously, the number one reason is that they are a dangerous item. The idiosyncrasy of a motorbike is that, if you actually stop and you do not put your legs down, you will crash. That is the absolute fact of the matter. It defies logic: why we are putting them on such modes of transport? Because they are manoeuvrable, they are cheap to operate and they can get around.

A two-wheeled pushbike is exactly the same. We do not stop two-wheeled pushbikes from going on the roads. They are a form of exercise, they are a form of transport. Again, if you do not put your feet down, you will actually crash when you stop. Taking all that into account, it is about good use of these items, good use of the technology, and recognising that they are a form of cheap transport that can do a notable number of jobs and tasks, everything from work to recreation. They are a mode of transport.

It is noteworthy that the other requirements of the graduated licensing system in the metro area apply to our regional motorcycles. These include the requirement for a motorcyclist to hold a motorcycle learner's permit for a minimum of 12 months. This is a shift from the current situation, where there is no minimum period. This will ensure that bike riders develop experience under learner's permit conditions.

Other requirements of the graduated licensing system include the restriction to not allow learner riders to carry a pillion passenger, or to have a sidecar or to tow a trailer. These restrictions minimise the risk of distractions and eliminate additional elements of risk for young riders.

Further key changes are aimed at ensuring that cyclists are riding bikes on which they have been tested, an extension of the period under which an R-Date licence classification needs to be held, which is now two years, rather than one. The more experience young riders can get under restricted conditions, the better.

The other thing I would like to say is that, although we are leaving the regional licence system at 16 years of age, I note that I know a lot of families have children who go out on motorbikes on family properties and they still have to cross a road or access a road. They cannot get a licence because they are not 16 years of age, and they literally break the rules by crossing a road, unless they walk the bike across.

There is a hole there I wish we could actually fix, but today I am very happy that the minister has seen fit to make regions the exception. I welcome the changes to the graduated licensing system and the recognition of a need for a different approach for the regional community. I commend the bill to the house.

Debate adjourned on motion of Dr Harvey.