Page 3801 - Week 13 - Thursday, 18 October 1990
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to the Motor Traffic Bill before the Assembly today, I believe that in many ways, this amendment is the most important of the four that have been put up.
When this legislation comes into effect, all children under one year of age who are travelling in a moving motor vehicle will be required to be restrained by an approved child restraint device. Over the years, I am sure all members of the Assembly have been appalled to see young children as passengers in cars travelling unrestrained. Of course, for many years, suitable child restraints such as baby capsules and child seats were either unavailable or very expensive.
However, over the last few years such restraints have become available at reasonable cost or can be hired through the ACT Infant Restraint Loan Service which provides an excellent service in this area, and I know that very well because my daughter was able to acquire one of these when she first came to Canberra. I thank this organisation for being available in Canberra for people who are travelling here on holidays, or staying here, and find it a bit difficult to bring along with them a restraint, a baby capsule, for a car.
However, I was appalled to note in the Minister's speech that 57 per cent of persons killed in road crashes in 1989 were not wearing seat belts or restraints. Therefore, I am pleased to note that the Minister intends to launch a publicity campaign to advise motorists of these new requirements, and also to direct attention to the issue of seat belt wearing in general. Such a campaign will have the full support of the Opposition. I hope that the Minister's speech is the last one after this. We fully support this Bill in every way.
MRS NOLAN (11.38): I am pleased to support this Bill to amend the Motor Traffic Act 1936 to require children under one year of age who are travelling in a moving motor vehicle to be restrained in a suitable Australian standards approved infant child restraint where the vehicle is fitted with restraint anchorage points.
The ACT Motor Traffic Act was introduced in 1936 and relates to the control of motor vehicles and the regulation of motor traffic. Under the Australian Design Rules all cars built since 1976, station wagons since 1977, vans since 1986 and small buses since 1987 are equipped with anchorage points as part of the manufacture of the vehicle. At present legal protection is given only to vehicle occupants one year of age and over. This Bill will ensure that all persons have legal protection. I think that that really is a very important point.
Four States have introduced appropriate legislation and other States will follow shortly. This Bill forms part of the Federal Government's 10-point package on road safety initiatives, which was agreed by members of the Australian
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