Brian Mitchell (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

As chair of Tasmania's black spot committee, I'm very pleased to be able to speak to this motion before the House. In my time as chair of the Tasmanian committee, our panel has contributed millions of dollars to projects across Tasmania, including in the regions, to ensure that our roads are as safe as they can be.

Road accidents are like rocks in a pond. The trauma is most pronounced for those at the centre of the impact but the impacts ripple out and affect many, often for years, even tangentially. My own father died in a road accident, 10 years ago this year. I obviously still miss him and my kids miss their grandfather, who they will never know. The impacts of trauma, whether it's a death or injury, continue for many years and affect many people. Media reporting focuses on the deaths in road accidents, but lives also change for those who survive road trauma with the loss of limbs, brain function or ability to walk, or facial disfigurement. Recovery, if even possible, can take years; mental and emotional scars may never heal. It's horrifying to think of how many young lives are lost or changed because of completely avoidable behaviour: driving when drunk or drug affected, driving fast or recklessly, overtaking on a bend—the list is endless.

The Black Spot Program can't fix everything, but it can play a part and does play a part in reducing the risk that infrastructure plays in road trauma. We know that projects delivered through black spot funding reduce serious crashes by an average of 30 per cent. Sometimes the funded projects are relatively minor in scale, but the benefit to the community is significant. Perhaps there's a bend in the road that can do with a guardrail or there's an intersection that can be made safer with a roundabout or a cycle lane that can be put in. As the member for Indi has indicated, perhaps something can be done about the notorious intersection in her electorate that has now claimed four more lives.

The Black Spot Program seeks to fund projects where motor vehicle accidents are occurring or are likely to occur. I just want to address this point because I think the member for Bendigo and the member for Indi both indicated that deaths had to have occurred for a project to receive funding. I don't know what the situation is in other states. In Tasmania, my panel takes submissions from people and local governments, and considers locations where road trauma may occur, is likely to occur, or has occurred. So there are different eligibility criteria; it's not just for locations where deaths have occurred.

Myriad projects are eligible: traffic signals, roundabouts, lighting, road markings, pedestrian crossings, bike lanes and more. If it can be installed to keep road users safer, it can be considered. Most applications we get are from local councils, but anyone can nominate a black spot. Nomination forms are freely available at investment.infrastructure.gov.au, and I understand there's an app—I don't know where it is, but it's been created to make it easier as well. About half the black spot funds in most states are reserved for projects in non-metropolitan areas, in recognition of the fact that more accidents occur in the regions relative to road use populations. I know my own electorate benefits from the Black Spot Program, and the 12 councils in my electorate appreciate the opportunity to put forward projects for consideration.

In the 2023-24 Tasmanian black spots funding allocation, the consultative panel recommended funding for 15 projects across Tasmania, totalling $2½ million including, as the member for Braddon said, about half a million dollars for one of his projects. Across my electorate, five projects received funding this year: $560,000 for safety barriers on Highland Lakes Road in Bothwell, $440,000 for a right-turn lane on Blackstone Road in Blackstone Heights, $240,000 for resurfacing Nook Road in Acacia Hills, $160,000 for a safety barrier on Cethana Road in Moina, and $40,000 for safety barriers on Carlton Beach Road and Webb Street in Dodges Ferry. Given my electorate takes up half the state, that allocation sounds about right. I should note for the record that decisions were unanimous and no projects recommended to the panel were rejected in favour of those not recommended.

The Australian government provides $110 million a year for the Black Spot Program, which is delivered in partnership with the state and territory governments, which essentially administer the program. I'd like to take the opportunity to thank my colleagues on the program panel in Tasmania who volunteer their time to help me assess recommended projects and thank the officials from the state government department, the Department of State Growth, who manage the day-to-day operations. The Black Spot Program saves lives and, I'm sure, has the support of every member of the House. (Time expired)

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