Martin Ferguson (Batman, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Transport, Roads and Tourism) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would first like to acknowledge the cooperation of the member for Casey in facilitating the adjournment debate this evening. Tonight I seek to address an issue of critical importance to all members of the House this evening—that is, the unfortunate number of Australians killed each year in road accidents. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau figures show that more than 1,600 people died on Australian roads in the year leading up to April of this year. This is barely an improvement on the number of road fatalities from five years ago.

Earlier today in this chamber, I supported the motion standing in the name of the member for Ryan going to the support of the National Road Safety Black Spot Program. The federal opposition support the government’s black spot program and AusLink 2. Labor would retain the black spot program through to 2014, the end of the AusLink 2 period, if we were fortunate enough to be elected to government in the election this year.

Federal Labor want to see an improvement in the numbers of people dying on the roads. We need to commit ourselves to seriously pursuing endeavours to reduce fatalities on the road. Throughout this year, I have expressed my concern that the money being spent on the black spot program is not targeted effectively enough. I reiterate, from my speech in the House earlier today, that the black spot program is too important to be pork-barrelled by the Howard government, as has occurred over the last couple of weeks with the AusLink Strategic Regional Program after heavy influence from the Minister for Transport and Regional Services on behalf of his National Party caucus members.

The forthcoming Bureau of Transport and Regional Economics report will evaluate the success of the program. I hope to see the black spot program continue to target areas that have the highest rates and risk of accident. We have a long way to go to achieve the target of reducing accidents, by 2010, to 40 per cent below the 1999 benchmark. Currently we are well behind on meeting that target and we are also performing poorly compared to other OECD countries.

The action plan for the National Road Safety Strategy 1999-2010 reflects poorly on Australia’s progress to reduce road deaths and accidents. The action plan reports that there has been, firstly, little reduction in deaths for vehicle occupants in single-vehicle crashes; secondly, a 15 per cent increase in the deaths of motorcycle crash victims; and, thirdly, a 20 per cent increase in deaths from multiple-vehicle crashes. While we are trying to reduce these targets, Australians are dying and families are affected by tragic losses from fatal road accidents. These deaths, I contend, are preventable, and the number of deaths on Australian roads, as we all accept, is too high. The opposition want to see a change in the number of people dying on Australian roads—and I also accept that all members of the House support such an objective.

In 2007, Melbourne was successful in reducing the number of accidents and number of fatalities, with the Victorian road toll below the national average. However, this sadly changed at Easter, which is a time when a lot of people are travelling on the roads and fatigue often sets in. In this period, greater Melbourne experienced 10 fatal road accidents, three fatal accidents within 24 hours. In my own electorate of Batman, three lives have been claimed on the roads during 2007. I can only imagine the impact that this has had on the families and friends of the crash victims and I extend my greatest sympathies to them.

This evening I would also like to briefly touch on an important local function I attended yesterday with the Italian community, to celebrate and recognise the 89th anniversary of the Battle of Piave, which was a significant battle of 1918 in World War I. This was organised by ANSI, a local organisation in my electorate, to mark the importance of this battle and the pride of the Italian people in what is considered to be, in World War I history, a bloody and determined battle that revealed the strength of Italy and the pride of her people. It was symbolic of the people’s determination to defend their country and maintain their way of life. The battle has the equivalent meaning to Italy that Gallipoli has to Australia. Folklore says that, in the war, the Piave River changed from clear blue to run the colour of blood.

I simply say to the Italian community in my electorate, which is very significant in size, that I was pleased to be a part of this recognition of the sacrifices made by the Italians, including civilians, during the First World War, and I really appreciate the importance of continuing this annual function so as to acknowledge the struggles of the past and keep alive the memories of lost loved ones. Thank you very much for the opportunity to address the House this evening.