Ms BURNET – Minister, in relation to our most vulnerable road users, children, there’s the chance to make our roads safer around schools. We’ve had a number of incidents and one fatality earlier this year in my electorate. I’m wondering what sort of approach the government would consider in relation to improving safety around schools. I did write to you earlier, so I’m just wondering what you might do.
Mr ABETZ – I would take advice from those that are expert in the area. I think each school and its location and roads, et cetera, make it a separate situation. We have the 40 kilometre per hour speed limit during, beginning and after school. We encourage people to be mindful of pedestrians generally, but especially around schools. We have the lollipop people at school crossings to assist our children to cross the road safely and we have a number of mechanisms in place.
Mr LIMKIN – The department takes this very seriously, both for the children but also for the school crossing guards who are our employees. I have recently written to the acting secretary of DECYP to ask her to communicate with all schools to make sure parents are informed about the importance, not just for our school crossing guards, but also the importance for their children in that area. The department is also currently developing a media campaign to go out in the future. I think ‘Love 40’ is the wording we’re using and it’s really focused on supporting our staff, but also supporting children’s safety from motorists. It is a key focus that we have as a collective Department of State Growth executive and I know my colleagues in DECYP also have it.
Ms BURNET – I suppose the concern I have is that there are school zones or zones in front of schools which are 80 kilometres per hour. If you look at Montrose Bay, it doesn’t drop to 80 kilometres and whilst parents and carers may be advised not to pick up from the Brooker Highway, it still occurs so it doesn’t always work. Are you familiar with the 8 to 80 campaign and what UK schools do and have a walking zone around some schools and would you be interested in trialling such a safety campaign?
Mr ABETZ – I don’t know about it so I can’t say that I would be willing to trial it, but I will seek to get a briefing from somebody in the department, or from yourself, as to what that looks like and see whether it’s got potential application.
