Road safety overhaul urged
The tens of millions of dollars in camera fine revenue pouring into the State Government's road trauma trust account is not being managed properly, according to a commissioned review that calls for an overhaul of WA's road safety agencies.
The review by former director-general of education Peter Browne, to be released today, recommends the State Government appoints a commissioner for road safety who reports directly to the road safety minister.
The Government ordered the review to ensure the $90 million raised from speed and red light camera fines each year was spent on the best road safety measures.
In his report, Mr Browne said there should be a panel of three experts appointed to judge the worthiness of applications for funding from the account.
The Government bases its decisions on recommendations from the Road Safety Council, which comprises representatives of road safety stakeholders from inside and outside government.
The Office of Road Safety, a government agency within Main Roads, supports the council and administers the trust account.
The report found changes are needed in the way both groups rank grant submissions to avoid "criticisms of cronyism and conflicts of interest". It said the location of the ORS within Main Roads was a big concern because Main Roads was a beneficiary of trust account funds.
It criticises the close ties between the majority of members of the RSC and government agencies and organisations that want funds from the account.
WA last year recorded its lowest number of road deaths since 1961 but the rate of deaths per head of population remained higher than the national rate.
Road Safety Council chairman Murray Lampard said the review recognised WA had a "world-class" road safety strategy. "We acknowledge and welcome that we have to do better" he said.
The review's 56 recommendations include revamping the complex submission process for RTTA grants and external monitoring of funded programs.
It said that the State's road safety strategy should be reassessed to make sure it was targeting current and emerging issues and that more focus was needed on rural programs and on vulnerable road users such as cyclists and motorcycle riders.
The report said shortcomings in the structure, processes and procedures of the Road Safety Council could not readily be overcome by modification.
Acting Road Safety Minister John Day said the Government welcomed the review and would seek public comment before any changes were announced.
Shadow regional roads minister Mick Murray said an overhaul of road safety management in WA was long overdue and he supported the review's call for a commissioner for road safety.
