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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-03-04 Daily Xml
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Motor Vehicles (Motor Bike Licensing) Amendment Bill

Introduction and First Reading

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (11:10): Obtained leave and introduced a bill for an act to amend the Motor Vehicles Act 1959. Read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr ODENWALDER (Elizabeth) (11:10): I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

In doing so, I undertake to be brief and succinct in my remarks. I know that we have a fair bit of private members' business to introduce and reintroduce this morning, and I would like to give everyone the opportunity, if I can, to put their views on record so that we can actually debate some of these things—in some cases, debate them again. The other reason that I will be brief and succinct, if I can, is that my views on all these things are well established and on the public record and I see no sense in delaying the business of the house too much further. In a way, this speech will be an update on what progress has been made on any of these issues, if any at all.

This first bill I have reintroduced today in private members' business is about motorbike licensing. It grows out of a series of incidents dating back to the previous government. In 2017, there was an unacceptable spike in motorcycle road trauma and road deaths. It was seen at the time as being urgent enough to bring together a group, formed by the then minister, that became known as the Motorcycle Reference Group. It was to look very closely at the issues on our roads, particularly pertaining to motorcycle road trauma.

I should mention that the Motorcycle Riders Association of South Australia, the Ulysses Club and the Adelaide University's Centre for Automotive Safety Research were all represented on this group, as well as other riders' groups, and it was chaired by the minister. Out of this grew a report and a series of recommendations, under the banner of the Centre for Automotive Safety Research but with contributions from all those groups. It recommended a whole series of things, one of which was a change to motorcycle licensing, and that is what this bill describes.

I will not go into the measures in any particular detail today, as they are all on the record; indeed, most of them are contained in that early 2018 report. Of course, since then the government have done precisely nothing, except for making a few random statements in the media promising that they would do some things—and simply not acting. The motorcycle riders' groups have at times been angry and certainly frustrated that since the election nothing has been done with this report. I have made this point before: it is not just about motorcycle licensing and it is not just about new and novice riders; it is about motorcycle safety as a whole. Over the last year, and sadly in the early part of this year as well, we have seen a trend towards more motorcycle road trauma and more motorcycle deaths on our roads, but still the government have not acted.

What the motorcycle riders' groups want to see is a holistic approach to motorcycle road safety. They want to see a re-establishment of a regular meeting with the Motorcycle Reference Group. They want to see consultation with the minister done in a way that produces results. At present, they are completely dissatisfied with the level of consultation they have with the minister and with the department. In fact, they are so frustrated that early last year they urged me and the Leader of the Opposition to introduce legislation that at least partly replicated what was recommended by the CASR report back in 2018. So this bill does that. This bill addresses the licensing issue.

I have noticed recent media reports of the minister finally coming around to addressing this issue. It is difficult to know exactly what they would do just in a few lines in a media statement. One of those promises by the minister, for what they are worth, is to raise the licensing age to 18. My bill proposes the age of 17. I do note, and I have noted before, that the CASR report does in fact recommend 18. Since that CASR report there has been a period of—I would not call it consultation—conversations within the motorcycling community and certainly consultation with the opposition, which led to us landing on the age of 17 as a reasonable compromise. Eighteen was seen as perhaps a little too harsh, but we will debate that out.

I have said before and I will say again that if and when the government finally sees fit to introduce legislation aimed at reducing motorcycle road trauma, I will be there. I will be the first person to agree with any measure which can be proven to substantially make a mark in reducing that road trauma. I will work with the government. I will abandon this private member's bill if the government bill does what the motorcycle riders groups say is essential, what the CASR report said is essential. What we have seen in media statements so far does not give me much hope, but I, again, make this pledge to work with the government if that legislation is forthcoming at any point in the future.

For now, we have a bill which makes certain provisions and certain changes to the motorcycle licensing regime. Essentially, what it boils down to is extending out the graduated licensing scheme, making various changes along the way from a learner permit to a full motorcycle licence. It extends those periods out and it provides for various safety measures and training along the way to that end. The aim of this legislation is simply to make novice and new motorcycle riders safer on our roads and reduce motorcycle road trauma.

As I said, if the government has better legislation, if the government has legislation that even replicates this and tweaks it around the edges, I will be happy to talk to them and happy to support them. For now, we have this bill before us and I urge members to support it.

Debate adjourned on motion of Mr Pederick.

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