Gerry Brownlee MP National Party Transport Spokesman

25 November 2003

Road Safety Scheme Not 'Up To Scratch'

The National Party Transport spokesman Gerry Brownlee has been left scratching his head after the Government's latest brainwave on road safety.

"Paul Swain talks about the three 'E's' of road safety, in my book his plan gets an 'E' for effort," says Mr Brownlee.

"Everyone accepts road safety is important, but the motoring public needs to question whether this is the most effective use of resources.

"Does the Government seriously think that a few road code 'scratchy' tickets will put any real dent in the road toll?

"The Minister in his chauffeur driven car must be more out of touch with reality than I previously thought," Mr Brownlee says.

"This programme, which the Government-backed LTSA describes as 'serious fun', has all the shine of the emperor's new clothes.

"It's transparent indeed, that the politically appointed National Road Safety Committee has also given its support to the idea," says Mr Brownlee.

"Mr Swain's also taking the opportunity to re-run news of $23 million per year in 'new' funding which was announced publicly last month.

"Everyone knows that's just a drop in the ocean given the state of our roading network and that's where the focus should be," he says.

"The Government's simply being cheap by declaring that a few 'scratchy' tickets with prizes donated by the private sector, are a 'major component of the Road Safety to 2010 strategy'.

"If that's the answer to road safety - panel beaters, insurance companies and hospital emergency departments won't be going out of business anytime soon," says Mr Brownlee

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