Debate resumed, on motion by Mrs Gash:

That this House:

(1)

acknowledges:

(a)

that the safety of our children should be of paramount concern for all governments;

(b)

the irrefutable evidence from studies conducted both in Australia and overseas, that the use of lap/sash seatbelts on buses will save lives and reduce injuries in the case of accidents or sudden braking incidents;

(c)

that currently, hundreds of thousands of Australian school children in non-urban areas, travel daily to school on buses that are not fitted with seatbelts; and

(d)

the urgent need to provide increased safety for bus passengers travelling on non-urban roads in Australia;

(2)

seeks the amendment of Australian Design Rule (ADR) 68/00:

(a)

so that the only exemption is for route service buses operating on urban roads;

(b)

to remove the current exemption for any bus with a seat height of less than one metre; and

(c)

to read: ‘all buses operating on non-urban roads and highways must meet the requirements in this rule’ ensuring lap/sash seatbelt protection and all safety features within ADR 68/00, presently afforded to coach passengers, apply to any bus travelling on any high speed road, highway or dirt road;

(3)

calls on the State and Territory Governments to support mandating the use of seatbelts on buses; No. 162—31 May 2010 29

(4)

directs the Government to legislate the above amendments to ADR 68/00 by January 2011 and ensure compliance on all affected routes by January 2020, beginning with all new and replacement buses; and

(5)

directs the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to place lap/sash seatbelts for non-urban bus travel on the agenda at each and every Australian Transport Council meeting until certification of all buses used on non-urban roads in Australia meet the safety standards of ADR 68/00.

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