The Hon Anthony Albanese MP
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport,
Regional Development and Local Government
The Rudd Labor Government has provided $3.0 million over five years in the 2009-10 Budget to support the establishment and operation of the first ever National Road Safety Council.
The Council will bring an integrated, national focus to addressing the major social problem of road trauma.
The Council will be made up of community leaders and road safety experts, and will be tasked with advising Commonwealth, state and territory transport ministers on the effectiveness of road safety measures.
It will also sponsor research in support of the implementation of the National Road Safety Strategy and action plans.
The Council will be set up in partnership with state and territory governments, with its membership to be finalised in coming weeks.
The Rudd Labor Government is committed to working with community and road safety experts, as well as state and territory authorities, to reduce the unacceptable level of road trauma in this country.
Annual statistics show that more than 1,500 Australians are killed and more than 30,000 hospitalised as a result of road crashes. The annual cost to the Australian economy is conservatively estimated at $18 billion.
The establishment of the Council builds on other practical measures being delivered through this Budget in 2009-10, including:
- $119.5 million to eliminate dangerous black spots on local roads - double last's year allocation;
- $100.0 million to install boom gates and other safety measures at high risk level crossings - double last year's allocation;
- $20.0 million to address the lack of safe, modern roadside facilities for truck drivers, including new and refurbished rest stops, parking bays and decoupling areas.
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