ROAD TRAFFIC (EMERGENCY VEHICLES) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Second reading.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (22:16): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

I had a half-hour presentation organised, but the Leader of the Government has asked me to keep it brief, and as I am always respectful, I will keep it to a very brief contribution. This bill is a common-sense policy, and I applaud the efforts of the members for Stuart and Kavel in the other place to ensure that this becomes law as soon as possible. This bill reduces the speed limit of vehicles passing emergency services vehicles—namely, police, ambulance, fire and SES—from the current 40 km/h to 25 km/h, which aligns the limit with school zones and roadwork areas. This makes a lot of sense. The lives of those officers attending an emergency situation as well as the affected individuals are just as important and just as at risk as schoolchildren and road workers.

This bill was referred to a select committee by the government in the other place, and as I understand it the police expressed concerns around the enforcement of this new speed limit, and that is totally reasonable. For example, in country areas, where the speed limits are significantly higher, the impracticality of an abrupt reduction in speed is obvious. However, I would hope that in these cases common sense would prevail, as it usually does where there are extremely capable country police officers. This change was a part of the election platform of both major parties at the 2010 election, and this bill has had the support of both major parties in the other place. It is a shame that it has taken this long to implement. I am pleased to move the second reading in this place, and I encourage the support of all members and its speedy passage.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. J.S.L. Dawkins.

At 22:19 the council adjourned until Thursday 21 March 2013 at 14:15.