Carol Brown (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this year the Albanese government released the first National Road Safety Action Plan under the National Road Safety Strategy. The action plan focuses on delivering tangible, measurable actions and clear responsibilities and time frames. Like the strategy, the action plan contains nine key priority areas, and included in the priority areas are infrastructure, planning and investment.

Through the strategy, infrastructure and transport ministers from across the country have agreed that all investments in road infrastructure planning, design and construction must have the Safe System approach applied to them. The Safe System approach to road safety has a long-term goal for a road system which is eventually free from death and serious injury.

The Safe System principle is based on the underlying principles that humans make mistakes that lead to road collisions and that there is a shared responsibility between road users, road managers and vehicle manufacturers to take appropriate action to ensure that road collisions do not lead to deaths. The Safe System requires a proactive approach to ensuring road safety is front of mind not only in road design and building but also for vehicle manufacturers and road users.

Through this action plan the Australian government has committed to coordinating a review of the Australian Road Rules and to development of a regulatory impact statement on reducing open road default speeds. The consultation will be conducted with state and territory governments, local governments and police. Further, the Australian government will develop an assessment and evaluation framework for the delivery of road safety upgrades funded by the Australian government. This and the other eight actions provide a pathway to Vision Zero, our shared commitment for zero deaths and zero injuries by 2050. (Time expired)