Mr MITCHELL - 1994-10-11
The federal government has been putting pressure on the Northern Territory government to implement a lowering of the legal blood-alcohol limit for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%. What progress has been made on this issue?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, indeed the federal government has been pressuring the Northern Territory government over this matter. Application of that pressure commenced in 1988, and it culminated in early 1992 with the black spot road funding program at which time it reached a stage that could be described as blackmail. The Territory government was given an ultimatum that either we agreed to carry out certain things or we would not receive funding for black spot areas on our roads. I believe the situation was brought about in an attempt to gain some political advantage.
When we looked at the benefits that might be gained in terms of road accident statistics, the extent of drink driving and the blood-alcohol reading levels involved with fatalities etc, it was clear that blood-alcohol levels below 0.08% were not linked statistically with them, and that was demonstrated many times by my predecessors in this portfolio. In fact, I will run through some of the road accident statistics over the last few years because they are quite significant. In 1989, at 0.08% and below, there was 1 fatality. None occurred in 1990, 2 occurred in 1991, 1 in 1992, and none in 1993. In the total number of deaths, the major
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blood-alcohol levels linked with the accidents were at 0.15% and above - in other words, among those people who had a totally irresponsible attitude towards drink-driving. They drank and then drove without any thought for other road users. That is the area where a major effort needs to be concentrated.
In fact, over the last few years, the Territory government's Living With Alcohol programs have been concentrating on changing the behaviour of people in relation to alcohol, and attempting to raise the level of driver responsibility in relation to drink-driving. Those programs have been quite successful and, as a result of those particular programs - and other programs and activities conducted by groups such as the Road Safety Council of the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Police Force, the Department of Health and Community Services and other government agencies - we have seen the road toll actually decrease. An examination of the statistics from 1990 reveals that there were 68 road accident fatalities in that year but, in 1991, there were 67, in 1992, there were 54, and last year there were 43. Although those figures continue to be far too high and are unacceptable, those statistics do show a downward trend. This year to date, 32 fatalities have been recorded on Territory roads. Thus, a great deal of effort has been put in without resorting to lowering the alcohol limit to 0.05%.
However, the federal government, as has been typical of it for a number of years, has decided that it knows what is best for Territorians and that members of this parliament and the Territory community are inappropriate people to make decisions regarding where the problems lie in respect of road accidents and where we need to direct our efforts to reduce the road toll. The federal government has deemed that the solutions that work in other areas of Australia, such as Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, are what we should be applying in the Territory. As a result, it has pressured the Territory government to reduce the legal blood-alcohol level from 0.08% to 0.05%.
We passed legislation in early 1992, and I believe it was assented to in June 1992, to lower the permissible blood-alcohol concentration. We also introduced a proviso that will enable police to issue an on-the-spot fine to any driver who has a concentration of blood-alcohol below 0.08% and above 0.05% without loss of licence. We have been looking for ways and means to minimise the disruption to Territory motorists as that process is put into operation. I advised the community earlier this year that we would be bringing that legislation into operation some time this year. In fact, 1 December will be the date on which the new 0.05% limit will come into effect. An advertising campaign will be started on 1 November to make all Territorians aware that the permissible blood-alcohol level when driving will be 0.05% and that an on-the-spot fine of $100 may be issued to people who drive whilst over the 0.05% level but below the 0.08% level.
I will conclude by saying that it is an example where all the statistics indicate that the problems we have are being tackled by Territorians in a way that is effective and it seems to me that, for a little political kudos and a few points down south, federal politicians have deemed again that they know better than Territorians, that what they consider is right for us is right and that what we as Territorians consider as appropriate does not count.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, indeed the federal government has been pressuring the Northern Territory government over this matter. Application of that pressure commenced in 1988, and it culminated in early 1992 with the black spot road funding program at which time it reached a stage that could be described as blackmail. The Territory government was given an ultimatum that either we agreed to carry out certain things or we would not receive funding for black spot areas on our roads. I believe the situation was brought about in an attempt to gain some political advantage.
When we looked at the benefits that might be gained in terms of road accident statistics, the extent of drink driving and the blood-alcohol reading levels involved with fatalities etc, it was clear that blood-alcohol levels below 0.08% were not linked statistically with them, and that was demonstrated many times by my predecessors in this portfolio. In fact, I will run through some of the road accident statistics over the last few years because they are quite significant. In 1989, at 0.08% and below, there was 1 fatality. None occurred in 1990, 2 occurred in 1991, 1 in 1992, and none in 1993. In the total number of deaths, the major
Page 203
blood-alcohol levels linked with the accidents were at 0.15% and above - in other words, among those people who had a totally irresponsible attitude towards drink-driving. They drank and then drove without any thought for other road users. That is the area where a major effort needs to be concentrated.
In fact, over the last few years, the Territory government's Living With Alcohol programs have been concentrating on changing the behaviour of people in relation to alcohol, and attempting to raise the level of driver responsibility in relation to drink-driving. Those programs have been quite successful and, as a result of those particular programs - and other programs and activities conducted by groups such as the Road Safety Council of the Northern Territory, the Northern Territory Police Force, the Department of Health and Community Services and other government agencies - we have seen the road toll actually decrease. An examination of the statistics from 1990 reveals that there were 68 road accident fatalities in that year but, in 1991, there were 67, in 1992, there were 54, and last year there were 43. Although those figures continue to be far too high and are unacceptable, those statistics do show a downward trend. This year to date, 32 fatalities have been recorded on Territory roads. Thus, a great deal of effort has been put in without resorting to lowering the alcohol limit to 0.05%.
However, the federal government, as has been typical of it for a number of years, has decided that it knows what is best for Territorians and that members of this parliament and the Territory community are inappropriate people to make decisions regarding where the problems lie in respect of road accidents and where we need to direct our efforts to reduce the road toll. The federal government has deemed that the solutions that work in other areas of Australia, such as Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney, are what we should be applying in the Territory. As a result, it has pressured the Territory government to reduce the legal blood-alcohol level from 0.08% to 0.05%.
We passed legislation in early 1992, and I believe it was assented to in June 1992, to lower the permissible blood-alcohol concentration. We also introduced a proviso that will enable police to issue an on-the-spot fine to any driver who has a concentration of blood-alcohol below 0.08% and above 0.05% without loss of licence. We have been looking for ways and means to minimise the disruption to Territory motorists as that process is put into operation. I advised the community earlier this year that we would be bringing that legislation into operation some time this year. In fact, 1 December will be the date on which the new 0.05% limit will come into effect. An advertising campaign will be started on 1 November to make all Territorians aware that the permissible blood-alcohol level when driving will be 0.05% and that an on-the-spot fine of $100 may be issued to people who drive whilst over the 0.05% level but below the 0.08% level.
I will conclude by saying that it is an example where all the statistics indicate that the problems we have are being tackled by Territorians in a way that is effective and it seems to me that, for a little political kudos and a few points down south, federal politicians have deemed again that they know better than Territorians, that what they consider is right for us is right and that what we as Territorians consider as appropriate does not count.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016