❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions the Minister for Road Safety about the expenditure of the Road Trauma Trust Account, given a rise in road fatalities. The Minister provides details on allocated funds and explains the allocation process, leading to interjections and disorder in parliament.
AnsweredQoN 97Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD
TRAUMA TRUST ACCOUNT — EXPENDITURE
97. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Road Safety:
I refer to the 44 people who have already tragically died on
our roads this year compared with 31 at the same time last year, and note that
32 of these fatalities were on country roads.
(1) Of the
$150 million allocated to the road trauma trust fund this financial year, how
much has already been spent and how much has the minister been advised will
remain unspent by 30 June this year?
(2) If the amount is significant, why is it sitting there?
TRAUMA TRUST ACCOUNT — EXPENDITURE
97. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Minister for Road Safety:
I refer to the 44 people who have already tragically died on
our roads this year compared with 31 at the same time last year, and note that
32 of these fatalities were on country roads.
(1) Of the
$150 million allocated to the road trauma trust fund this financial year, how
much has already been spent and how much has the minister been advised will
remain unspent by 30 June this year?
(2) If the amount is significant, why is it sitting there?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the Leader of the Opposition for the question.
(1)–(2)
We allocated $110 million from the road trauma trust account for expenditure this
year on road safety initiatives. That was split between metropolitan
intersection upgrades, regional run off road crashes—the program for
regional run off road sits at about $46.5 million—a range of other
initiatives around public education campaigns and general road improvements. As
to the amount unallocated, the fund obviously moves depending on the activity
generated by speeding motorists. As people speed and the infringement money
goes into the fund, the fund grows and we allocate it on an annual basis for
expenditure at midyear review. My understanding is that at present the
unallocated amount sits at around $40 million. However, we are currently in a budget
process —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : The midyear review says it is $140 million.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I have spoken about the amount unallocated. The member for
Midland might be getting confused that there can be money in the fund that has
not been spent, but it can already be allocated to projects.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : As projects come online and the agencies that are responsible
for those projects request progress payments, the amount allocated then gets
spent. Although we might allocate $110 million, the $110 million will get spent
over the course of the year, and the amount of money that has not as yet been
transferred to the agencies as progress payment will sit in the fund.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : As the member for Collie–Preston well knows, it is
this Liberal–National government that put money into the Collie
Coalfields highway.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
second time. I want the answers through the Chair. Member for Collie–Preston,
moderate please.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Expenditure from the road trauma trust account has allowed us
to upgrade the Collie Coalfields highway—a highway which was nothing
short of a death trap for many, many years and the Labor opposition did nothing
about it. We took action from the road trauma trust account and I think it is
appalling that the member for Collie–Preston interjects like that on
this question!
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
third time.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, you have been called for three
times now, and now you are on three and a half. Minister, I want a short answer
through the Chair.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I am finished.
(1)–(2)
We allocated $110 million from the road trauma trust account for expenditure this
year on road safety initiatives. That was split between metropolitan
intersection upgrades, regional run off road crashes—the program for
regional run off road sits at about $46.5 million—a range of other
initiatives around public education campaigns and general road improvements. As
to the amount unallocated, the fund obviously moves depending on the activity
generated by speeding motorists. As people speed and the infringement money
goes into the fund, the fund grows and we allocate it on an annual basis for
expenditure at midyear review. My understanding is that at present the
unallocated amount sits at around $40 million. However, we are currently in a budget
process —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : The midyear review says it is $140 million.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I have spoken about the amount unallocated. The member for
Midland might be getting confused that there can be money in the fund that has
not been spent, but it can already be allocated to projects.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
first time.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : As projects come online and the agencies that are responsible
for those projects request progress payments, the amount allocated then gets
spent. Although we might allocate $110 million, the $110 million will get spent
over the course of the year, and the amount of money that has not as yet been
transferred to the agencies as progress payment will sit in the fund.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : As the member for Collie–Preston well knows, it is
this Liberal–National government that put money into the Collie
Coalfields highway.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
second time. I want the answers through the Chair. Member for Collie–Preston,
moderate please.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : Expenditure from the road trauma trust account has allowed us
to upgrade the Collie Coalfields highway—a highway which was nothing
short of a death trap for many, many years and the Labor opposition did nothing
about it. We took action from the road trauma trust account and I think it is
appalling that the member for Collie–Preston interjects like that on
this question!
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the
third time.
Mr
M.P. Murray interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, you have been called for three
times now, and now you are on three and a half. Minister, I want a short answer
through the Chair.
Mrs
L.M. HARVEY : I am finished.
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