Road Safety Petition

The Hon. J.S. LEE (15:04): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Road Safety a question about a road safety petition.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: Since it is a national safety week, my question will be of interest to the minister. As recent media reports have indicated, Ridgehaven Primary School has raised concerns about the safety of its school crossing. Ridgehaven organisers collected nearly 200 signatures in their campaign for a safer crossing and better signage at Milne Road. Ridgehaven petition organisers said that they have been seeking support from the state government over the last few years to upgrade the crossing, but without success. My question to the minister is: can the minister confirm whether the government is now willing to upgrade the school crossing at Ridgehaven Primary School, as sought by the local community?

The Hon. P. MALINAUSKAS (Minister for Police, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Road Safety) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for her question. Yes, I have familiarised myself with this issue, in part due to the hardworking advocacy of the member for Newland in the other place. The member for Newland has been a passionate advocate on issues regarding road safety for many years, particularly within his electorate. The member for Newland has always been a strong advocate. He has, of course, held the portfolio of road safety previously and is a committed representative of people in and around Ridgehaven.

He has drawn my attention to this particular issue. I am happy to inform that, as a consequence of that, my office has been in touch with the Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. I have spoken to the CEO of the department, who himself will be meeting with the principal of the school to discuss what it is that the state government can do to ensure that road safety is in place in and around the school area. More importantly, if there is more that the state government can reasonably do to accommodate the safety of students and their families in and around that school, then of course that is something that we will consider in due course. I expect to hear back from the CEO of the department soon. Once that is done, that will inform the judgements that the government makes in and around the issue.