Page 121 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 13 February 2019
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The program I speak of is, of course, the school crossing supervisor program. It does not sound very revolutionary. There is no hi-tech equipment or fancy workspaces, just well-trained, community-minded individuals helping children to cross the road. For those with a short memory, it could be easy to overlook that this was a program we took to the 2016 election. I do not think this was a vote changer for many constituents; it was something that was well received.
It is fundamentally important that our schools are safe places, and that does not include just the school yard, the oval or the class room but also the roads and paths that surround them. Improving road safety is important. Every school is different, with different roads and paths leading to each them. Of course the way to improve safety is different at each school, which is why we need to take a holistic approach to all of these issues.
One of these ways is school crossing supervisors. The school crossing program encourages children to walk or ride to their local school, fostering an active lifestyle early in life. As obesity becomes a greater epidemic we need to find new ways to encourage movement and health, by getting kids and, perhaps more importantly, parents comfortable with the idea that their kids will be safe crossing with a lollipop guard.
The feedback we have received shows that while kids want to ride or walk to school parents are concerned for their safety. By alleviating this concern we encourage children to be healthy and active, while saving parents the pain of a detour on their morning commute. I know the stresses it often causes parents. Kids rarely grasp the need for parents to be on time to work and this can be the cause of major stress each and every morning.
The government has so far rolled out school crossing supervisors, as a pilot, across 20 crossings in Canberra, and then a further five. And the feedback I have received, as a local member, has overwhelmingly been positive. People love school crossing supervisors. The conversations I have with them, with parents in the street, are not about how much they cost but, “When is my school getting one?” Every parent I have spoken to thinks they are great, and they want to see more of them. And I think that is a good thing.
As convenient as getting a lift to school from your parents is, there is nothing quite as formative as taking the bus, walking or even riding to school. You need to get yourself there on time. I will admit that I do not ride or walk to work as often as I should, if ever, but I tell you what, Madam Assistant Speaker, if you get one of those crossing supervisors out the front you might see me in some Lycra sometime soon.
Paragraph 3(c) of the original motion calls for flashing lights to be installed at schools by the 2020 school year. As someone who likes to check in on social media occasionally, I could not help but check in on what the Canberra Liberals had been doing online in the past few days. I had noticed that they had been pushing this on social media, and good on them. But I did notice they tried to get the hashtag going. And for those playing along at home, it is #safercanberra. And I would encourage you all to go and have a quick look.
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