Legislative Council: Thursday, October 16, 2025

Contents

School Traffic Zones

The Hon. D.G.E. HOOD (14:41): My questions are to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport regarding school traffic zones:

1. How will the government monitor the effectiveness of these new speed zones and ensure they deliver real safety outcomes?

2. Has the department modelled the impact of introducing three separate school speed limits on driver compliance and pedestrian safety?

3. Why are no schools on or near Portrush Road, including Linden Park Primary School and Glenunga International High School, included in this rollout, despite this corridor being identified as one of the most dangerous roads in the state?

4. How can parents and teachers trust that the government is serious about road safety when even the highest risk crossings, such as Portrush Road, remain untouched and left out of this very important project?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Autism) (14:41): I thank the honourable member for his question. As was highlighted yesterday, this is a program that will help bring us in line with most other states, as far as I am aware, which already implement this 40-k zone around their school sites. As was also highlighted yesterday, this is a rolling rollout, so we will start with a small number of schools. We will build up to 25 schools and then we will build up to the 150 schools.

There is an opportunity here for this to cover a broad number of areas within our community but, most importantly, it will be bringing us in line with the rest of the country in making sure that we have safer school zones around our most vulnerable children. What we want to be doing is making sure that not only is it reminding motorists, maybe who aren't used to driving on those particular roads, to think and slow down but also giving students and parents that opportunity to know where the safer spots are to be crossing to be able to get them to school in a more safe way.

This is a policy that is under the road safety minister. It is obviously also a really nice package deal, with him also being the Minister for Education. If there is more information that you require I am happy to continue to work with him. Obviously, there is a role that we do play in regard to inserting the signs and putting in the infrastructure, but that will be in consultation with the appropriate minister.