Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Economy and Infrastructure Committee

Inquiry into the Impact of Road Safety Behaviours on Vulnerable Road Users

Jade BENHAM (Mildura) (10:26): I am happy to rise to speak on a committee report. You would think it would be on one of the committees that I am on, but after two weeks of being on the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee with the member for Point Cook and the member for Laverton I decided to look into some other committees and see what some other committees are doing, seeing we have done such a wonderful job over the last couple of weeks. Obviously other committees are not quite doing that load of work, but I was interested to read the inquiry into the impact of road safety behaviours on vulnerable road users from the Economy and Infrastructure Committee because I spend a lot of time driving around particularly the western part of this state, given that you do not get much further away in this state than Mildura. So that is a lot of road to cover. I do tend to drive when I come down here for sitting weeks or for PAEC, because by the time I am halfway here, which is about 3½ hours, I am still in my electorate. And some of the roads around the Mallee in particular and Sunraysia – I mentioned yesterday that we have a Mallee links golf course along some of these highways, just like the Nullarbor Plain golf course. You could use the potholes as, well, greens, I guess.

This inquiry in fact delved into how road safety behaviours have evolved during and after COVID-19, and I do not think it is any secret that among road users, or maybe society in general, there is a quite a level of angst, short tempers and quite aggressive reactionary behaviours, particularly on the roads. This report looks at how those behaviours post pandemic affect those that are most at risk on our roads, and they are pedestrians, children under seven, cyclists, motorcyclists, older individuals and users of mobility devices – and we see a lot of mobility devices around these days. Given the lack of infrastructure in rural towns in particular because of the lack of footpaths, a lot of the time mobility devices are being driven on the roads, particularly around towns, because they simply have no choice. Even in housing developments slightly out of town there are mobility devices on roads that have no shoulders et cetera.

In regional areas like ours these challenges are amplified and they are multifaceted with, like I said, the vast distances and the limited public transport options, and we will see that illustrated and that lack of infrastructure around roads for vulnerable road users amplified again when the alcohol and other drugs rehabilitation facility is built and operational in Merbein, given that there is no public transport and there are no footpaths around the facility. Given that it is a health facility, there is a vulnerable population there anyway, so there is a huge danger there. And talking about children under seven, there is a childcare centre about to be built in Red Cliffs across the road from the early childhood centre, but it is also across the road from a workers accommodation facility, which has all sorts of dangers within itself.

Anyway, this inquiry made several pertinent recommendations, like developing a road user hierarchy that prioritises the safety of vulnerable road users, ensuring those who cause the most harm bear the greatest responsibility. Enhancing infrastructure – that is, pedestrian crossings and traffic lights – is an important one, and the installation will make a huge difference for particularly Mildura and the south of the city. I did thank Minister Horne last week for the announcement of the Sixteenth Street–Deakin Avenue traffic lights, which will make a huge difference to the speed of heavy vehicles and for Mildura South Primary School. That is fantastic. It is good to see that enhancing infrastructure is one of the recommendations.