Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

The government is committed to cut the road toll and road trauma and is currently taking forward work in each of the areas that Senator Sterle has proposed be referred to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee. Consistent with the Australian government's commitment to improve road safety, while reducing red tape, the government is currently undertaking a review of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act 1989. This review will strike the balance between appropriate safety standards, in line with international best practice and consumer access to vehicles at the lowest possible cost.

The government is also undertaking a mid-term update of the National Road Safety Strategy, which will be completed later this year. This work will establish a refreshed set of national priority actions to focus the efforts of all jurisdictions over the next three years. Transport ministers from all states and territories will consider these priority actions at the November meeting of the Transport and Infrastructure Council. In the coming months the government will also complete a review of the full impacts of road trauma. The review will evaluate the benefits and costs associated with the different road safety approaches adopted by various jurisdictions. The review will include an examination of the whole road safety system. For these reasons, the government will not be supporting the referral of these matters to the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee for inquiry because to refer these matters to the committee would only duplicate effort.