A continuously unacceptable road toll suggests the Albanese Labor Government could be doing more to improve road safety.
Recently released figures from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts show that for the 12 months to the end of June 2024 1,310 people on died Australian roads, representing a 11.7 per cent increase on the previous corresponding period.
Monthly figures continue to tell us that we are well off track to achieving National Road Safety Strategy targets.
Member for Wannon, Dan Tehan, said Victoria experienced a 9% increase in road deaths over the 12 months to June 30.
Mr Tehan said the Albanese Labor Government was failing the community on road safety.
“The Albanese Government needs to lift its game when it comes to road safety. The unfortunate reality for far too many families is that the road toll has been rising steadily for the past two years while the Albanese Government has cut funding from road infrastructure programs and failed to deliver the road trauma data sharing outcomes promised,” he said.
“Labor’s failure to facilitate the timely, consistent and open reporting of national road safety data after almost two years in government is preventing Australia from quantifying its road safety problem, developing evidence-based responses or evaluating their effectiveness.”
At the same time, the road safety task is being made more difficult by the Albanese Government’s decision to cancel, cut, and delay more than $27.9 billion in infrastructure funding over its first two years in government.
“Roads throughout Wannon aren’t receiving the maintenance and upgrades they need, and the impacts of Federal Government funding cuts are being felt by road users firsthand, who have been raising road safety concerns with my office.
Mr Tehan urged road users in Wannon to help shine a light on the deteriorating conditions of local roads by taking part in a national road survey launched by the Coalition last month.
Residents can send the Albanese Labor Government a message to fix our roads by nominating a road, intersection or bridge in need of investment through the survey available at https://www.research.net/r/2HRHBV9 until 5pm, 30 August 2024.
ENDS
