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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2008-06-17 Daily Xml
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COMMUNITY ROAD SAFETY GROUPS

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (15:30): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Road Safety a question about the formation of two community road safety groups in the state's South-East.

Leave granted.

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN: Community road safety groups are made up of dedicated and enthusiastic members of the community who work together to improve road safety. Will the minister describe to the council the type of issues that will be tackled by the Robe community road safety group and what steps are being taken to create a road safety group in Kingston? These are areas in the country where none of them will live.

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:31): In total, there are now 35 community road safety groups in South Australia. The volunteers are committed and determined to see results. I never fail to be impressed by the commitment these people make to the safety of their communities. In the South-East there are now six active community road safety groups. A seventh group is likely to be formed in Kingston, and a meeting to decide its members will be held on 7 July. There has been strong police and council support for the creation of the Kingston community road safety group. At a public meeting on 1 April, the issues discussed included:

the increasing number of animals on the road;

the South-East road safety strategy;

heavy transport on Princes Highway; and

older drivers in the district.

After a public meeting on 2 April to gauge interest in establishing a community road safety group at Robe in the state's South-East, the first meeting of the newly formed 'Road Safety Group Robe' was held on 28 April.

The Robe group has 13 members, with David Loxton of the Robe council elected as chairperson; Jason Doig of SAPOL taking on the treasurer's role; and community member, Marci Dening Wasson, the group's secretary. Rod McMartin from the Country Fire Service is deputy chairperson. The group has already identified its key objectives to be:

education of children and road users about road safety;

promotion and awareness of road safety issues; and

lobbying of appropriate bodies about road safety issues of concern.

The group, which will meet monthly, is already working on a strategic plan for its operations, developing a calendar of activities and considering projects that it will run (and applying for funding from MAC (Motor Accident Commission)). At future meetings, the group members will form a series of subcommittees to address particular issues of concern to the region.

Since 2005, the South-East community, local government and the state government have worked together to improve road safety and reduce the road toll. The South-East community, through the South-East road safety strategy, has set a regional target of no more than 76 serious casualties by the end of 2010. The strategy also sets a challenging goal—and we have mentioned this in the chamber before—of achieving a fatality-free year on the region's roads.

I take this opportunity to thank all the members of the community and road safety groups in the South-East for stepping forward and demonstrating leadership in road safety for their region. I would also like to emphasise the importance that I attach to the efforts of all community road safety groups. It is essential, if we are to keep building a safety culture and keep reducing road trauma, that we engage with the community on the road safety issues that need to be addressed.

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