Road toll crisis: Neil Mitchell backs new proposal in the wake of ‘farcical’ summit
The Andrews government is being urged to back an opposition plan to tackle Victoria’s rising road toll after last week’s underwhelming summit.
The summit was convened to address the state’s road toll, which has risen more than 50 per cent on 2018.
Road Safety Minister Jaala Pulford flagged the summit as an important part of the state government’s reaction in an interview with Neil Mitchell last week.
But Neil Mitchell said the lack of subsequent action and whispers from those inside the summit suggested the meeting was “window dressing”.
“A lot of insiders are criticising it privately to me,” Neil Mitchell revealed today.
“It came up with nothing fresh.
“To me, it was just for the sake of appearances, whereas a Joint Select Committee could go somewhere else.”
The Joint Select Committee is a Coalition brainchild.
Their motion suggests the committee would consist of seven MPs and address:
- Failure of the Towards Zero strategy
- Adequacy and scope of alcohol and drug testing
- Adequacy of speed enforcement measures and penalties
- Adequacy of offences and penalties for use of mobile phones
- Use of technology to reduce the impact of mobile phone use
- Measures to improve the affordability of newer and safer vehicles
- Adequacy of road asset maintenance
- Adequacy of driver training programs
“The committee is an opposition plan … but they agree it would have a majority of government members,” Neil Mitchell detailed.
“This should not be political; the government should pick this up and run with it.
“It’s worth a try.
“Are they brave enough?”
Click PLAY to hear Neil Mitchell discuss the proposal with the Opposition Upper House leader, David Davis