Dr LIM - 1995-03-02
It was reported recently in the media that a survey of Territorians indicated that 40% of residents believed that it was acceptable to drink and drive. Can the minister comment on this survey result?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, there was a report recently on the front page of the NT News. On the face of it, that report should be a cause for concern. The headline was `Drink-drive OK in NT, say 40%'. I made some inquiries about that headline because we had been running some intensive campaigns through road safety authorities and the Living With Alcohol program. I found that the data to which the article referred was collected in 1992. It was revealed also that it was not actually the community that was polled. Sixteen experts in various fields related to drink-driving and transport were asked what their opinion was in relation to what Territorians thought. To be kind, I would say that the headline was misleading. The information that 40% of Territorians thought it was okay to drink-drive was not what 40% of people generally thought. It was 40% of 16 experts who were asked what they thought people generally thought.
It should be stressed that a very intense campaign, Living With Alcohol, and also road safety campaigns have brought about some changes in the statistics. There has been a 30% decrease in the number of people drinking heavy beer, and there has been a decrease in the number of fatal road accidents in which alcohol has been involved. These are pleasing statistics because they indicate that the work being done is having an effect on what is occurring in the community.
In addition, there was a survey in 1992 - in the same year as the one referred to here - in the course of which over 1000 people were surveyed in the Territory. It was interesting that 85% said that they did not believe that random breath-testing was an attack on individual rights and 97% agreed that, if somebody they knew was over the legal limit, they would discourage that person from driving. I believe that probably better reflects the attitude of Territorians.
The other very important statistic is that, where we have had fatalities on our roads and alcohol has been involved, we have found over the last few years that the amount of alcohol in
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the blood was greater than 0.15%. It is Territorians who are irresponsible with alcohol who are causing the fatalities. It was unfortunate that we devoted considerable time, effort and public discussion to getting stuck into drivers with blood-alcohol levels between 0.05% and 0.08% when it is very clear to everyone that that is not the level at which we have problems in the Territory.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, there was a report recently on the front page of the NT News. On the face of it, that report should be a cause for concern. The headline was `Drink-drive OK in NT, say 40%'. I made some inquiries about that headline because we had been running some intensive campaigns through road safety authorities and the Living With Alcohol program. I found that the data to which the article referred was collected in 1992. It was revealed also that it was not actually the community that was polled. Sixteen experts in various fields related to drink-driving and transport were asked what their opinion was in relation to what Territorians thought. To be kind, I would say that the headline was misleading. The information that 40% of Territorians thought it was okay to drink-drive was not what 40% of people generally thought. It was 40% of 16 experts who were asked what they thought people generally thought.
It should be stressed that a very intense campaign, Living With Alcohol, and also road safety campaigns have brought about some changes in the statistics. There has been a 30% decrease in the number of people drinking heavy beer, and there has been a decrease in the number of fatal road accidents in which alcohol has been involved. These are pleasing statistics because they indicate that the work being done is having an effect on what is occurring in the community.
In addition, there was a survey in 1992 - in the same year as the one referred to here - in the course of which over 1000 people were surveyed in the Territory. It was interesting that 85% said that they did not believe that random breath-testing was an attack on individual rights and 97% agreed that, if somebody they knew was over the legal limit, they would discourage that person from driving. I believe that probably better reflects the attitude of Territorians.
The other very important statistic is that, where we have had fatalities on our roads and alcohol has been involved, we have found over the last few years that the amount of alcohol in
Page 493
the blood was greater than 0.15%. It is Territorians who are irresponsible with alcohol who are causing the fatalities. It was unfortunate that we devoted considerable time, effort and public discussion to getting stuck into drivers with blood-alcohol levels between 0.05% and 0.08% when it is very clear to everyone that that is not the level at which we have problems in the Territory.
Page 494
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016