❓ Mrs. Roberts questions the Minister for Police regarding budget cuts to speeding and drug-driving strategies, challenging the Minister's judgment over the Road Safety Council. The Minister avoids directly answering the question, instead highlighting the government's record on roadside breath testing.
AnsweredQoN 113Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROAD
SAFETY COUNCIL — EXPENDITURE RECOMMENDATIONS
113. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I have a supplementary question. How did the minister know
better than the Road Safety Council when cabinet cut nearly $10 million out of
speeding and drug-driving strategies this financial year and the minister will
not even have a report until midyear?
SAFETY COUNCIL — EXPENDITURE RECOMMENDATIONS
113. Mrs M.H. ROBERTS to the
Minister for Police:
I have a supplementary question. How did the minister know
better than the Road Safety Council when cabinet cut nearly $10 million out of
speeding and drug-driving strategies this financial year and the minister will
not even have a report until midyear?
AnswerView source ↗
All I can point to is the
outstanding record of this government in this space so far. Five years ago,
when the previous government was on watch, just over 800 000 roadside random
breath tests were performed and the result was that about 20 000 people tested
positive for an excess blood alcohol reading of more than 0.05. What we are
getting now as a result of the compliance efforts of this government and the
effort that we have put —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : I asked you why you cut $10 million out. Are you going to
tell us why you cut $10 million out and why you know better than the Road
Safety Council?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the third time.
Minister, please just answer the question.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Just to finish, I was trying to provide a comparison. In the last financial
year, we conducted 1.6 million roadside breath tests and the result was a
significant reduction; about 14 000 people tested positive at roadside. We are
making a difference in this space. We have doubled the number of random breath
tests at roadside and we have seen a significant reduction in the number of
people testing positive. There is still a long way to go and we accept that,
but this government is committed. The alcohol interlock system has been talked
about in this state for 10 years. The legislation will be coming to this
Parliament very shortly and I look forward to the support of the opposition
when I bring it into this space.
outstanding record of this government in this space so far. Five years ago,
when the previous government was on watch, just over 800 000 roadside random
breath tests were performed and the result was that about 20 000 people tested
positive for an excess blood alcohol reading of more than 0.05. What we are
getting now as a result of the compliance efforts of this government and the
effort that we have put —
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : I asked you why you cut $10 million out. Are you going to
tell us why you cut $10 million out and why you know better than the Road
Safety Council?
The
SPEAKER : Member for Midland, I call you to order for the third time.
Minister, please just answer the question.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY :
Just to finish, I was trying to provide a comparison. In the last financial
year, we conducted 1.6 million roadside breath tests and the result was a
significant reduction; about 14 000 people tested positive at roadside. We are
making a difference in this space. We have doubled the number of random breath
tests at roadside and we have seen a significant reduction in the number of
people testing positive. There is still a long way to go and we accept that,
but this government is committed. The alcohol interlock system has been talked
about in this state for 10 years. The legislation will be coming to this
Parliament very shortly and I look forward to the support of the opposition
when I bring it into this space.
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