TRANSCRIPT OF JOINT NEWS CONFERENCE WITH THE HON BOB
BROWN, MINISTER FOR LAND TRANSPORT AND SHIPPING SUPPORT,
PARLIAMENT HOUSE, 5 DECEMBER 1989
E 0 E PROOF ONLY
PM: Australia is faced with terrible carnage on its
roads. The figures are quite dramatic when you
understand that someone dies every three hours, someone
is seriously injured every nineteen minutes and someone
suffers minor injuries every six minutes. Road accidents
are the major cause of death in people up to middle age
and they account for 75% of the deaths of young men. We
have got to come to an understanding that the present
situation is simply not good enough. In that context the
Government has considered a proposal that has come from
Bob Brown, the relevant Minister, which has been under
consideration for some period of time. We have been
given to understand that there are two things that need
to be done. Firstly, you have the situation where a
number of black spots, if I can put it that way, that's
the jargon, have been identified by local authorities
around Australia which points at which fatal and serious
accidents occur with more regularity than elsewhere. It's
suggested that a figures of some $ 150M over a period of
three years could eliminate those black spots and the
Government has decided on a program of $ 110M from
Commonwealth sources which would be $ 50M in the first
year, 1991, $ 35M in the second year and $ 25M in the third
year. These areas of responsibility are fundamentally of
course, with the States. But we are prepared in this
one-off three year program to substantially meet the cost
that's involved in fixing these black spots. And we
would expect that in those second two years we will put
in $ 35 and $ 25M if the States would be prepared to pick
up that balance. We will be putting that money in for
that period of three years as an absolute commitment.
But as I say, we would hope and expect that the States,
in respect to those second two years, would pick up their
share of that responsibility. The money that is to be
made available will be conditional upon the States being
prepared themselves to implement a set of what would then
become national uniform measures. To do this on a coordinated
basis, that would be to have national
alcohol limit levels, a national licensing of heavy truck
and bus drivers, national uniform speed limits, speed
limiters for heavy vehicles, adoption of zero alcohol
limits for young drivers, to increase enforcement to
ensure that there is a one in four testing of drivers for
random breath testing for alcohol, to implement a
graduated licensing system for young drivers, to
introduce compulsory bicycle helmet wearing, to introduce
daylight running lights for motorcyclists and to increase
enforcement of seat belt and child restraint wearing.
Each one of those points have been identified by the
relevant authorities as issues which, if implemented,
will have a significant effect of the reduction of road
fatalities and road trauma resulting from road accidents
and the provision of the Commonwealth money to States
will be conditional upon them agreeing to take the
relevant action to meet those requirements.
Additionally, we will be making a sum of some $ 1OM
available to support extra research into vehicle design
and other strategic issues and public education programs
aimed at changing public attitudes and behaviour on the
roads which is relevant to the level of road accidents.
As I say, as a nation we have to face up to the appalling
cost to this nation which flows from the level of
carnage, fatalities and accidents on the roads. The
Office of Road Safety estimates that road accidents cost
some $ 6B a year, of which the health system bears about
Some 30,000 Australians are admitted to hospital
each year as a result of road trauma. So given the
magnitude of this issue, not merely the tragedy of deaths
but the tragedy associated with massive trauma, for
instance the estimate is that for every paraplegic it
emerges from these accidents a cost through life of that
on average is about $ 1M. So this is an issue of enormous
importance and as a Commonwealth Government we are
determined to make a contribution and a significant
contribution on both fronts. That is significant
financial assistance to fixing black spots which are the
points of serious regular accidents and through the
provision of this money, to get the cooperation of the
States to address these other issues which are recognised
as being important in reducing the too high road toll and
road trauma results in this country. Bob, do you want to
add anything?
BROWN: I just want to emphasise Prime Minister, that
while the Commonwealth Government quite clearly has
committed itself to a continuing program of road
construction, there are still very many centres around
Australia which the Prime Minister has identified as
black spots, where crashes are occurring daily and where
people are being seriously injured and where people are
dying. What we've done is to decide on this occasion
that we will now supplement the $ 1.3B that we'll put into
road construction this year with these additional funds
so that together with State authorities and local
authorities we'll identify where those black spots are
and we'll lift them out of the system. We estimate that
as a result of this program we'll be able to identify
about a thousand of them around Australia where crashes
and deaths have been occurring too greater frequency.
There is a heightened level of community concern, as
there should be, about the trauma on the roads. There
have been some dramatic improvements but they're not good
enough. And I applaud the decision that the Prime
Minister has encouraged from the Government to ensure
that these funds would be provided and that we would
recognise the very serious deficiencies that exist on
many of our local roads, many of our State roads. We
will assist State authorities and local authorities as
well to overcome those problems, to correct the black
spots, to stop the crashes and save lives.
JOURNALIST: second and third year. Are you saying
that you want the States to make up to $ 50M for each of
those years
PM: we belive that Michelle, that as this area is an
area of State responsibility we can't nor would the
States legitimately expect that we would pick up the
responsibility for this black spots area. It has been
identified as about $ 150M. That would be estimated at
about $ 50M over three years. We will put the whole of
the $ 50M in the first year. But in terms of the States
moving to pick up what would be their total
responsibility after three years, that they would pick up
you know, $ 15M in the second year and $ 25M in the third.
JOURNALIST: inaudible
PM: Our money will be put in.
JOURNALIST: inaudible
BROWN: That will relate to probationary drivers. One of
the problems at the present time I think people should
generally understand is that those young drivers between
17 and 25, they make up about 15% of the population but
they account for 35% of the deaths. And of those 35% of
the total deaths, 80% of them are young men. So what
we're concerned and of course alcohol and that age
group, for all age groups through the motoring
population, alcohol is a very important element in it.
Those who are on probation, those who have picked up
their permit and are still in that period of time when
they're required to be driving accompanied by and
experienced driver, generally that will be a period of
about two years. The limit on the blood alcohol content
will be zero.
JOURNALIST: What national speed limits are you seeking?
BROWN: Well at the present time we've got some of the
States which have applied the 100km an hour limit and
others 110. As the Prime Minister has indicated, I will
this week be in touch with the State Ministers to
indicate when that meeting will be held before Christmas.
And that's one of the issues that we will need to
resolve. It is possible
L
JOURNALIST: Do you have any preferences?
BROWN: My preference is for one which exists in NSW, but
I understand the concern on the part of many of those
State Transport Ministers that it be lower. In fact, in
Victoria they've just reduced it and the reason for that
is quite apparent. There is concern about the impact of
speed but most of those crashes which are caused by speed
are not those which are caused as a result of vehicles
remaining within the legal speed limit. Those which are
caused as a result of speed are when the vehicles become
airborne over metres and wrap themselves around trees and
telegraph poles and till those people are inside, and
they're not travelling at 110 kms an hour, many of them
travelling at 140, 150 l6Okms an hour. That's where we
need much more effective, of course, traffic enforcement
as well. But that will be resolved by the State
Transport Ministers. I've got no doubt that they're
-going to welcome this list of elements of that total
package that we're presenting to them because not only
have they very often been pursuing these objectives
themselves, but they know that the community quite
correctly has become intolerant to the point where the
community will demand that those elements be adopted and
the State Ministers will respond. I'm sure they will
respond admirably. In fact they could well be looking
forward when opportunity of this kind to precipitate the
adoption of a package which is the most comprehensive
package of the most important elements of those factors
on the roads that are contributing to the road trauma.
And with the cooperation of all of those State Transport
Ministers and the two Territorial Ministers, this is
going to represent a very substantial advance.
JOURNALIST: Do all States have to agree before the
Federal Government will hand over the money or is it just
on an individual basis?
BROWN: No, each State will need itself to agree with
that package prior to any of this money being allocated
to their State. Now I don't think that that while
that's been made a condition and a requirement I don't
believe that it would have been necessary because I
believe that the State transport ministers right across
Australia are themselves, individually, and as
representatives of their government, they are
sufficiently responsive to the need for these things to
be introduced right across Australia, that they would
have welcomed it anyway. Here's the opportunity now for
us to precipitate it, to get uniform agreement to get
things put into place and I've got no doubt that there
will be absolute cooperation.
JOURNALIST: clarify, if any States disagree, will
you still proceed with the money to the other States?
BROWN: Not to the other States, yes, but not to
that State which, I don't there won't be, there won't
be any State which doesn't agree.
PM: OK, are we, have we got any further questions?
JOURNALIST: As in NSW you're on P-plates for the
first year of your licence, that's what you are talking
about is it?
BROWN: That will be the probationary period, but as a
result of when we get, we will get the transport
ministers together and in the process of identifying and
clarifying some of those discrepancies, often very
marginal discrepancies that exist between the States, we
will be seeking to ensure uniformity. I think everyone
understands that with six States and two Territories and
one Commonwealth Government, that's often very difficult.
But they do respond and they're responding admirably and
better and better all the time as they will with that
program and that package.
JOURNALIST: ( inaudible)
BROWN: Beg your pardon?
JOURNALIST: That probation period may be extended?
BROWN: Depending well if they choose to extend it, if
they choose to extend it it could well be extended.
JOURNALIST: black spots I mean there are
pieces of rural roads that are infrequently used that are
quite dangerous as a proportion of accidents can be
to the usage?
BROWN: We would expect the particular spots themselves
to be identified first of all by local authorities and
then secondly by the State transport authorities and most
likely from their regional office. They will then be
submitted through, they'll come through to an assessment
panel which will consist with appropriate representation
from the three levels of government. We will be
expecting, in the first place, that the benefit cost
ratio in terms of the return for the money that's, that
that the elimination of that black spot would cost, the
ratio would be at least two to one so there's a positive
economic benefit in it, but it would also of course be
dependent on the number of crashes and fatalities and
injuries that have been associated with that spot. To
some extent, of course, that will be a subjective
judgement, but the subjective judgement will be on the
part of a group of people that will be representative of
three levels of government, not just ourselves, but the
others as well.
JOURNALIST: One area of a lack of uniformity that you
haven't addressed is the age at which people may in fact
drive. Does that indicate that there's little evidence
to show
BROWN: No, in fact the evidence, of course, indicates
that the more chronological maturity on the part of the
person, the more likely it is that they will act
responsibly when they're in charge of a vehicle and that
many of these questions of detail concerning uniformity,
of course, have been addressed and have been pursued
through ATAC, the combined transport ministers
conference, and they're the people that I'll be bringing
together before Christmas and the March ATAC meeting that
was intended for next year will also be brought forward
into the early part of next year because we want to make
sure that we're addressing each of these problems
adequately. JOURNALIST: That issue is not the condition of this
particular package?
PM: No it's not, no it's not.
JOURNALIST: ( inaudible)
PM: Yes, you see at the present where this relates not
only to motor cars and trucks, the heavy articulated
trucks back to the fixed structure trucks, but also to
motor cycles. I think people generally understand now
that, for example, a relatively young man can go out in a
relatively small truck and pick up a 5A licence and
tomorrow he can be out on the road with some of those
very large articulated trucks without either the
experience or the age or the level of responsibility
which are necessary for him adequately to control that
vehicle. Now the same sort of thing applies with motor
cars as well and it's been suggested, and we will work
out the details together with the State transport
ministers, many of these now have been pursued.
Questions of the appropriate age at which the permit
should be available, the question of the age at which the
licence should be available and, in order to ensure that
there is a growing capacity on the part of the individual
rider or driver to adequately control the vehicle which
they're riding or driving, there will be then graduation
built into it. The best example, of course, that can and
will relate to motor cycles and motor, family type motor
cars as well, but the best example relates to trucks, so
that depending upon the age, the qualifications, the
experience, the level of responsibility, so the
individuals drivers' right to handle increasingly large,
more difficult to control vehicles will be graduated
through the licence system.
JOURNALIST: ( inaudible)
BROWN: The reason is that when you have 160 kms an hour
on a road which is able or capable of taking that speed,
that you have all of the traffic moving together. What
you say is perfectly correct, they do have a very good
accident record until one crash occurs. And when they're
travelling at that speed, then of course they all pile up
behind. So it does have its pluses, it also has its
minuses and the State transport ministers in Australia,
as was indicated with one of the earlier questions have
decided that the appropriate maximum speeds in Australia
should be 100 or 110. Now that's not a great, that's not
a big margin, it would, of course, be better if we could
get some consistent coordinated approach right across
Australia. JOURNALIST: that the road system is taking too much
freight
BROWN: On the eastern seaboard road transport takes
about one third of the freight. On the east-west freight
routes across Australia rail transport takes about two
thirds. The question of the adequate balance between
that of course I suppose again is a matter of some
subjective judgement. But I think we would all
understand that road transport is better suited to some
forms of freight movement, more diverse door-to-door type
movement. The rail transport is better suited to the
long distance bulkier heavy freight. What we want to do
and what we're attempting to do of course is to ensure
that both of those modes of transport are able to compete
with one another to the most appropriate type of freight
-that they should be carrying and in the process of doing
that of course building up what we hope is a pretty
comprehensive type of approach to the whole question of
developing a total land transport system and network.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke
PM: Is this of f this issue now?
JOURNALIST:.. PM: Ok, if we can just have a few questions of f this
issue and then I've got a Cabinet meeting to go to.
JOURNALIST: It's related to this issue. Dr Blewett said
today that the cost to Australia of tobacco related
disease $ 2.5 billion and Mr Brown has said road
accidents $ 6 billion health any
thought to limiting either alcohol advertisements or some
form.. PM: Well the question of limits on advertising has only
to this point arisen in regard to cigarette advertising
and not to alcohol. And on the question of the
advertising in regard to speed and so on, one of the
decisions we've taken today is for a $ 10 million fund
provision by the Commonwealth for education in regards to
road safety. That goes with a question of attitudes and
behaviour on the roads and I would imagine that that
element that you've referred to would be part of that
education program.
JOURNALIST: Have you received any new ideas in the
Cabinet meeting today for future policy ideas?
PM: I want to get to that meeting. That hasn't started
yet. That's why this is going to be a rather shorter
press conference than usual. You'll have the opportunity
of talking to me on Thursday. But I don't mind two or
three questions now but I want to get back to that
important meeting.
JOURNALIST: on alcohol advertising Mr Hawke. Do you
see any merit at all in
. PM: If someone wants to put that up it's something I
Sguess you'd look at
JOURNALIST: Hasn't Gerry Hand put that up?
PM: I've seen Gerry talking about it. He hasn't
proposed the Bill.
JOURNALIST: Wasn't that one of the formal
recommendations of the National Crime Authority
PM: I don't recall on that point. I mean I have all
I'm indicating is if there is some proposal in that area
to us there hasn't been at this stage we will look at
it. JOURNALIST: What's your own view?
PM: I haven't developed a view. I happily supported the
decision of the Cabinet today. I was happy enough to do
that as an occasional cigar smoker I might say. As a
non-consumer of alcohol I guess I would have an even more
open mind on that issue.
JOURNALIST: ( inaudible)
PM: I did indeed.
JOURNALIST: Do you think alcohol is a major problem?
PM: Of course it's a major problem in society. You'd
have to be a monumental dumbwit to argue that
proposition. JOURNALIST: ( inaudible)
PM: I've answered that. I mean if someone wants to put
up a proposition about advertising in regards to alcohol
I'd be quite happy for it to be on the table.
JOURNALIST: Mr Hawke, would you like to comment on the
Labor Council leaked Do you support the call for
PM: Let me first of all say it is not a Labor Council
document. It was some draft proposition by a couple of
junior people in the NSW Labor Council. I simply made
the point the other day which I repeat now that if you
want to look at the position of the NSW Labor Council
then logic demands that you see what the position of the
Labor Council in NSW is. And the position of the NSW
Labor Council was evidenced in their participation in the
ACTU Executive meeting last week. So don't let's have
any propositions that this is a NSW Labor Council
position. It is not. draft document prepared by a
couple of people who in my judgement don't know what
they're talking about. Now on the question of
JOURNALIST: Do you know who they are?
S PM: I've read their names. Whether I've met I don't
know whether I've ever met them. They certainly don't
stick in my mind if I have. I see there's been some
suggestion or query as to whether I contacted Mr Easson.
I didn't contact Mr Easson. He rang me I might say
yesterday morning. I think really that the continued
employment of these people is a matter for the Labor
Council. I must say that if they really believe these
things that they put, the Labor Council doesn't really
in their appropriate area of employment. That's a
matter for the Labor Council, not for me. I'm not going
to tell them what to do.
JOURNALIST: ( inaudible)
PM: No. Didn't you just hear what I said. I said it's
a matter for the Labor Council Milton. I am just saying
that obviously people have rights to opinions. I'm
simply saying that if they believe the things they've
written I don't think that the Labor Council, which has
an entirely different position, totally different
position, a contradictory position... It hardly seems to
me that that's a congenial place for them from their own
point of view. But I'm not getting But that's a
matter for the Labor Council. I'm totally comfortable
with the position of the NSW Labor Council and of the
ACTU. I mean it's like, I mean I guess I could find
somewhere if I suggested that someone might do some
searching I could find a document written by it's even
more likely in the next few weeks I suggest that I could
find some documents being written by some people within
the Liberal Party and the National Party in Queensland,
because there's a lot of disaffection there. But because
there might be a document floating around written by some
particular junior officer of the National Party or the
Liberal Party, I don't think that that would necessarily
reflect the position of the branch as such or of the
Parties nationally.
JOURNALIST: The ACT Government situation I was
wondering whether you would support moves for a new
election at all possible
PM: It's a matter to which I have given zilch
consideration. ends