FEDERAL ELECTION 2004
Federal Election and MotorcyclingRiders, The MCCofNSW issues the following information for those who may wish to take account of motorcycle related issues when casting their vote on Saturday. On 5 Sept 2004 letters to the party leaders of ALP, LIB, Democrats and Greens were sent requesting positions on various issues regarding motorcycles. The key ask was commitment to recognise motorcycles as a distinct road user class in accordance with "Eyes on the Road Ahead" recommendation 36. This is a key issue for riders and many things will flow from it, if adopted. Only the Democrats responded without prompting and provided the most comprehensive point by point agreement. The rest had to be prompted. The reminder that there are more than 1,200,000 licensed riders out in voter land created a bit of last minute interest. The questions asked. - In your policies do you recognize motorcycles as a legitimate mode of transport?
- In your policies do you recognize motorcycles as a specific class of vehicle that has advantages over other modes of transport such as less polluting, less damaging to roads, does not add to congestion, requires less parking space1?
- Do you recognize that as road users motorcyclists have specific road safety needs?
- Do you support recommendation 36 of the recent House of Representatives Standing Committee on Transport and Regional Services inquiry into road safety, “Eyes on the Road Ahead” that recommends a specific road safety strategy for motorcycles be developed?
- If you support the development of a specific motorcycle road safety strategy, do you support the model used to develop the road safety strategy of the MCC, `Positioned for Safety”2, which had a high level of rider involvement. Positioned for Safety is recognized as a strategy by motorcyclists for motorcyclists and as a result has been very successful in bringing about improvement of motorcycle safety in NSW?
- Do you support the role of the ATSB Motorcycle Consultative Committee as an effective means of addressing motorcycle issues at the federal level?
- If you support the Motorcycle Consultative Committee will you provide additional funding so that rider groups in each state as well as the national rider body, the Australian Motorcycle Council, can be more actively involved in this committee and as a result the committee will function more effectively?
1. The Role of Motorcycles, The Warren Centre project `Sustainable Transport in Sustainable Cities.
2. Refer safetysite]A summary of the responses follows. The correspondence from the Liberal and Labor Parties can viewed in full by downloading from the box on right of screen. . No response. A second, fruitless attempt was made on 5/10/04. 100% Point by point specific agreement with our requests from Senator Andrew Bartlett.. A letter received October 3rd from Martin Ferguson MP, Shadow Minister for Urban & Regional Development, Transport & Infrastructure states "Labor recognises that motorcycles are a specific group of road user", "develop strategies for vulnerable road user groups, namely motorcycles, cyclists and pedestrians", "ensure that road safety, including the specific needs of motorcyclists, is a regular item for discussion through key forums", "Labor will engage with groups such as MCCNSW to ensure that the issues of concern are being addressed". The ALP later released their Labor's Safer Roads Plan that specifically states “Under direction of the Australian Transport Council, implementing national strategies for Motorcycle Safety, Cyclists and Pedestrians”. From Brian Loughnane, Federal Campaign Director on behalf of Coalition MPs, Senators and candidates. A motherhood response dated September 29 that promises nothing specific that we don't already have. They “recognize” and “believe” over a couple of points but made no commitment other than continuing to work with safety bodies such as ATSB and the motorcycle industry to improve safety for motorcyclists. An immediate follow up requesting a higher level of commitment, in particular regarding Recommendation 36, was ignored.Please distribute widely amongst riders. Warren Buffett
Vice Chairman
MCCofNSW
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