Page 2267 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 4 August 2015
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The trust has also had a working relationship with key research bodies, including the leading universities and the Australian new car assessment program, ANCAP. The relationship with ANCAP has allowed the NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust not only to work on the outside factors of driving but also to ensure that only the safest possible cars are sold in Australia. The trust, recognising the need for experts in the field of road safety, began to support postgraduate students who wished to work in the area. Due to this support, 10 students have been assisted with postgraduate scholarships, seven of whom have been successful in completing their degrees. The remainder are currently enrolled. The achievement in this academic area continues to grow and develop, and we can see the success in the vehicles that we drive today and the care that we are involved in in an accident.
As Minister for Roads and Parking, I have a particular interest in infrastructure studies, and I would like to quickly use this time to refer to reflections on the work of the trust. The first is the research study on reducing motorcycle trauma in the ACT undertaken by the University of New South Wales. This study looked to improve motorcycle safety in the ACT by improving awareness of road safety issues, perception of risks amongst motorcyclists and innovative infrastructure treatments. Another interesting project supported by the trust was the 2012 study by Monash University on the potential application of shared space principles in urban road design. This project included analysis of crash data from existing shared space implementations around the world and investigated the potential impacts of road culture on the success of shared spaces. Many of the recommendations made by Monash for best practice implementations of shared space designs are features of the government’s Bunda Street shared zone.
The NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust was only intended to be a temporary arrangement. Nonetheless it is sad to see it now coming to an end. We now move forward with the ACT road safety fund; I look forward to seeing this new arrangement continue the legacy of the trust through the advancement of road safety for the ACT community.
Like Minister Rattenbury, I would like to put on the record my thanks to those who have served as trustees over the life of the trust. These people have undertaken their roles with passion and dedication to the community. I give a big thank you to Professor Don Aitkin, the longstanding chair of the trust, and all those who have served on the trust over the years, including the trust secretariat and the ACT government’s partner in the trust, NRMA Insurance. I am pleased that the legacy of the trust will be continued into the future and I look forward to the contribution the fund will make to road safety here in the ACT. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo—Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Justice, Minister for Sport and Recreation and Minister assisting the Chief Minister on Transport Reform) (5.14), in reply: I am pleased to speak today in support of the bill and I welcome the comments from members.
As I mentioned when I presented the bill on 4 June this year, the NRMA road safety trust is based on an arrangement between the ACT government and NRMA Insurance
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video