Chris Hayes (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. How is the government assisting motorcyclists to stay safe on our roads?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today the member for Werriwa assisted in the launch of the Good Gear Guide, a practical initiative developed by industry and the Motorcycling Association of Australia in conjunction with my department. It was a very big event at the front of Parliament House. We had the member for Werriwa and the member for Bradfield both in their leathers out there with their bikes supporting motorcycling safety. They were joined by the press gallery’s own two-wheeler Malcolm Farr as part of the launch.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Was he wearing leather?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He was wearing leather as well, I can inform the Deputy Prime Minister. The member for Bradfield summed it up best when he said, ‘Motorcycling’s a bit like politics: you need a back protector.’ Who better than the member for Bradfield to know that? It is an activity that we all love. It is not quite as dangerous as politics, but is getting there. I thank the member for Bradfield, the member for Werriwa, Malcolm Farr and Shaun Lennard, from the Australian Motorcycle Council, for their promotion of this important safety initiative.

The number of registered motorcycles has grown by 50 per cent over the last five years and we are seeing great growth, particularly in recreational riding. It is important that the message get out there that people need to be safe every time they get on a motorcycle, be it a scooter or right up to a superbike. Those figures come through in that motorcycles make up five per cent of registered passenger vehicles on the road but motorcyclists make up 17 per cent of fatalities. We know that 12,000 motorcycle riders are hospitalised every year as a result of either on-road or off-road crashes.

What the Good Gear Guide does is promote a valuable resource in that it helps riders to protect themselves in the best possible way—and that is through what they are wearing. There is no doubt that many injuries can be avoided or their severity reduced if riders are wearing the right gear: appropriate protective clothing including jackets, boots, gloves and, of course, helmets. This is very much a practical guide that will help riders when they are shopping to get the right gear. It can also be downloaded from my department’s website www.infrastructure.gov.au. It is a great safety resource and I encourage local members to promote the Good Gear Guide in their electorates—even with their reduced newsletters, they can certainly do that. This is a very practical initiative and I very much thank Malcolm Farr, the member for Bradfield and the member for Werriwa for their assistance with today’s launch.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.