Page 3516 - Week 12 - Thursday, 20 September 1990
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road deaths and injuries to young children in road crashes. The estimated cost to the community for each road death is $560,000. In 1989, 32 people died on ACT roads, representing a cost of nearly $18m to the community. The cost of a baby capsule or other restraint is negligible when measured against the suffering and pain caused to the community by death and serious injury as a result of road crashes.
Legislation such as this to require better protection of young children is an important step towards reducing the trauma. However, let me emphasise that child restraints and seat belts can be effective in saving human lives only if they are used. An unused seat belt cannot offer any protection and parents have a responsibility to ensure that their children are adequately protected. I now present the explanatory memorandum for this Bill.
Debate (on motion by Mrs Grassby) adjourned.
MOTOR TRAFFIC (AMENDMENT) BILL (NO. 5) 1990
MR DUBY (Minister for Finance and Urban Services) (10.45): Mr Speaker, I present the Motor Traffic (Amendment) Bill (No. 5) 1990. I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, this Bill is part of our commitment to the Federal Government's road safety initiatives, which include increased enforcement of seat belt and child restraint wearing. The ACT Motor Traffic Act was introduced in 1936 and relates to the control of motor vehicles and the regulation of motor traffic.
Mr Speaker, I am sorry to hold you up. There has apparently been a mix-up in the administrative side of things and I have a duplication of my previous speech.
Mr Speaker, the Motor Traffic Act 1936 regulates various motor vehicle and motor traffic matters such as vehicle registrations, driving licences, road safety rules, speed limits, parking rules and insurance.
In particular, section 36 of the Act provides that the maximum fares chargeable for taxi hire are as set by regulation. The Motor Traffic (Amendment) Bill (No. 5) 1990 amends the Act to allow the Minister to determine maximum fares for taxi hire by a notice published in the Gazette. The taxi industry has been critical of delays in giving effect to taxi fare variations. The amendment will overcome delays and enable fares to reflect market conditions more accurately.
This Bill has no direct financial implications for the ACT Government. It is simply a time saving technique which, as
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