Pat Conaghan (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am pleased to move this motion today to highlight the significance of road safety and road safety improvements but also the work that we have done as a coalition over the past few years. It's very sad that, in 2020, 1,106 people lost their lives on our nation's road, and, in 2019, 1,188 lost their lives. If we look at the very sad figure of 908 deaths due to the pandemic, it's very easy to say that every year we have a pandemic of road safety deaths. With more and more families taking their annual holidays within Australia, this government fully understands the need to create a safer road network so these families can travel to their destinations in the knowledge that not only will they get there safely but they will arrive home safely. This has been a bipartisan approach through the road safety committee, and I'd like to thank the member for Kingsford Smith, the deputy chair of the road safety committee, for what we achieved over the past 12 months.

As a former police officer, I have witnessed the real impacts that these horrendous motor accidents can have on families and friends and first responders. In dollar terms, it costs our economy around $3 billion a year, but, in emotional hurt, it is completely unquantifiable. I would not wish to see another Australian or family or first responder have to continue to suffer these consequences, and that's why I acknowledge and applaud the record funding applied by this government to road safety measures around the nation. It is essential, however, that these programs—and the funding for these programs—are carried out concurrently to achieve the most effective result in reducing the road toll. All of these are relied on upon each other and none are more important than the other.

Firstly, I recognise this government's contribution of $2 billion for the Road Safety Program, which is delivering low-cost road safety improvements such as better road markings and shoulder seals, new barriers, better signage and other technologies to build on the $500 million targeted road safety works. Secondly, I recognise the government's contribution of $12 million for the Road Safety Innovation Fund to support road safety research and development of new technologies. In support of that, there is $4 million for the Road Safety Awareness and Enablers Fund, with 20 projects already underway to improve education. Education is one of the biggest things for our youth—teaching them through school that a vehicle can be a weapon, educating them on the consequences of their driver behaviour. Other programs include the $8 million Driver Reviver site upgrades and $5.5 million for the new safety data hub. That was one of the biggest things that came out of the road safety committee inquiry—that we need to share our data with each other. If we don't share data between hospitals, between doctors, between governments—state, territory, federal—then we won't get the best picture to develop the best program of road safety improvements.

More broadly, the government is providing $110 billion infrastructure pipelines for the general upgrading of roads across Australia. As I speak, works have been carried out already for the $1.8 billion Coffs Harbour bypass, in addition to $191 million for the Fixing Local Roads Program and $140 million for the Safer Roads Program. By any measure, the level of funding for road safety programs and measures by this government is record breaking. There is no doubt about that. But I will go back to the need for a bipartisan approach by both sides, because we cannot afford to lose over a thousand people a year to road safety, year on year.

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