Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Central Coast is the most beautiful region in the best country in the world to live in. There are stunning, pristine beaches. The city of Gosford is really turning a corner and beginning to thrive, thanks in part to our federal government's initiatives. And there are the seaside suburbs that we all love, such as Umina, Ettalong, Patonga, Terrigal and Copacabana. It is all within quite a short distance from Sydney, making it a great drawcard for families these Christmas holidays. This summer, I have no doubt, it will be buzzing again.

But in January last year, there was a shattering event that devastated a family and our community. The death of four-year-old Tom McLaughlin at Macmasters Beach was as sudden as it was shocking. On a family holiday, little Tom died after running out onto a local road. Being a mother of two young children—including my son Oscar, who was the same age as Tom when he died—I can only admire his parents, David and Michelle McLaughlin. Their bravery is incredible, not only in dealing with this awful, tragic event, but also in the way that, in the months that followed, they have sought to establish a legacy that means our community can be safer as a result of their actions.

Tom's legacy is the creation of the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation by David and Michelle, named after the dinosaurs that Tom loved to draw. The foundation is all about educating and protecting children around roads, teaching them about the ever-present dangers, and using signs to better inform drivers.

This is a message that every parent should hear and share with their children and every family should remember when they hit the freeway after the working year wraps up. And here is why: 65 children under the age of 16 were killed on Australian roads in 2014—a staggering statistic. The foundation has found a number of factors as to why this may be the case. For children, there is the issue of a lack of height to be able to see the cars. There are cognitive limitations, like being easily distracted or being able to react to sudden changes in the environment and identify safe places to cross the road. It can also be hard for children to accurately discern the origin of sound or use it as a measurement of distance, which of course can make all the difference when a car is approaching. Education like this helps to identify safe crossing areas and distinguish between features in new environments, like holiday parks or at beaches.

For drivers, the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation has also been rolling out a successful holiday-time campaign, which started on the Central Coast last year. They have great signs that say, 'It's Holiday Time: Slow Down Kids Around' and 'Hold My Hand'. They are very bright and colourful, and a timely reminder of this very important safety message for our community during the holiday season.

I will conclude by saying that this message of the Little Blue Dinosaur has saved my own children from crossing the road in dangerous situations on more than one occasion. So I call on the community and parents around Australia to help keep our kids safe this summer.