Latest News

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, 9 August 2010

Office workers, mums, dads, motorcycles and scooters
to converge on Parliament.

On that day, at 12 noon, the street in front of the NSW Parliament will be awash with motorcycle and scooter riders of all ages who will have gathered to show parliamentarians their disgust at the blatant cash-grab that has become the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) scheme under the Keneally government.

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MEDIA RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NSW GOVERNMENT FAILS THE STATE’S MOTORCYCLISTS ONCE AGAIN
21 July 2010

With the arrival of new mobile speed cameras, and the RTA’s proposed new 4km/h tolerance limit for all speeding offences, it is time to take an objective look at the facts the speed-camera-revenue-addicted Keneally government is not telling us about motorcycles.

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MEDIA RELEASE

22 June 2010

The Motorcycle Council of NSW (MCC of NSW) has today described the planned increases in motorcycle CTP premiums from July 1st, as further evidence of the failure of Governments to recognise motorcycles as a unique and independent road user group.

Whilst the MCC of NSW understands that changes to the old CTP system were necessary, and even worked with the Motor Accidents Authority (MAA) on these changes, the MCC of NSW has not been provided with any evidence that those drivers or riders causing CTP claims, can justify such extreme increases in prices in some classifications.

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Solid result for motorcycle sales in 2009

Jan 11, 2010

Official figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show that 115,981 motorcycles, scooters and all-terrain vehicles were sold last year – a decrease of 13.6 per cent (18,298 units) over 2008.

“Given the circumstances, this is a very solid result,” FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar said.

“The market has come off a very high base over the previous year, so the industry has certainly stood up well to the economic challenges,” he said.

“In fact, this is the fourth highest annual sales result on record and was achieved in tough economic circumstances,” Mr McKellar said.

“Some brands actually increased sales and deserve congratulations for that,” he said.

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Motorcycle Accident Rehabilitation Initiative (MARI)

MARI & St Vincents
MARI Biker

St Vincent's Hospital has established an identification and rehabilitation initiative for riders injured in motorcycle accidents who present to the Hospital's Emergency Department.

The program, referred to as MARI (Motorcycle Accident Rehabilitation Initiative), has been enabled by a $30,000 donation from George and Charis Schwarz following the successful sale of their photographic journal Highlights of the Road.

George and Charis' motivation in raising funds for riders was to support the longer-term physical injuries and social and emotional problems experienced by riders following an accident. Their feeling was that these problems were not properly identified and supported by current health protocols.

Their concern correlated with a recent accident injury study by Steven Faux, Lachlan Donaldson and Kathryn Brooke of St Vincent's Hospital Rehabilitation Medicine Department.

'When George and I spoke about this a few months back he was pretty amazed that we had found the very same thing through our study,' says Dr Faux, Director, Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Services at St Vincent's.

'The study of over 180 motor vehicle accidents found that almost half were motorcycle accidents, and of these only one-third were given support and assistance in addressing some common rider concerns. For example: What has happened to my bike? How will I earn a living while I am injured? What do I need to do about insurance?

MARI is collaboration between St Vincent's Emergency Department, Rehabilitation Department and Social Work Department to better address these concerns. The program ensures that riders presenting to the Emergency Department are properly identified for follow-up support by rehabilitation and social workers.

This also extends to riders who have accidents but are not admitted to St Vincent's Hospital. In these circumstances, a face-to-face interview or a telephone interview with a social worker will be arranged, to assist riders with insurance issues, provide short-term funding entitlements, and make sure they have access to proper medical and psychological treatment, if needed.

The MARI fund, established with George and Charis' donation, will finance a number rehabilitation packages for riders who do not have access local hospital or community support following an accident or who require more rehabilitation than previously offered.

MARI Body

The fund will also provide support to collect data on people injured by motorcycle accidents for St Vincent's Rehabilitation Department. The Department anticipates this may be the precursor of better provision of psychosocial services to all victims of motor bike accidents.

For further information on the St Vincent's Hospital MARI fund, please contact:

Loretta Jagucanskas
Corporate Relations Liason Officer
Fundraising Support Team
Phone:02 8382 3188
Fax: 02 8383 3192
Email: ljag@stvincents.com.au

For further information on "Highlights of the Road" and George and Charis' fundraising appeal, please contact:

George Schwarz
Phone (02) 9361 6452
gschwarz@iprimus.com.au
Charis & George

Fax, online, & phone donations to MARI are now possible.
Go to www.stvincents.com.au
Cheques to the MARI Fund should to be made payable to:

St Vincent's Hospital Sydney Ltd - Trust Fund Account MARI TF 880845

and sent to:
Fundraising Department,
Level 3, de Lacey Building
St Vincent's Hospital
Reply Paid 66643
DARLINGHURST NSW 1300

NB. No stamp needed in Australia