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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 11 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 3552 ..

QUESTIONS ON NOTICE NO 77

Cyclists - Helmets

Mr Stanhope asked the Minister for Urban Services - in relation to the Information Bulletin, Compulsory Wearing of Helmets for Bicyclists in the ACT, published by the Department of Urban Services in 1992:

(1) What was the research referred to in the bulletin supporting the statement that `bicycle helmets are extremely effective in reducing injuries to the head'.

(2) Did the Department undertake any evaluation of that research, and if so, what was that evaluation.

(3) Did the Department, in preparing the bulletin, make any consideration of a 1988 study by Rogers published in the Journal of Products Liability, or of a 1994 inquiry undertaken by the National Health and Medical Research Council into head and neck injuries suffered by footballers.

Mr Smyth - The answer to the member's question is as follows:

(1) This countermeasure was part of the National Road Safety Ten Point Plan and was introduced in the ACT on advice provided by the Federal Office of Road Safety (FORS). In addition this proposal was agreed to and implemented by all Australian jurisdictions.

(2) No. The Department accepted the view of FORS, as an eminent road safety research and policy organisation.

(3) The Department does not know whether FORS took account of the 1988 study by Rogers. Given that the pamphlet was published in 1992, it obviously could not take account of the 1994 National Health and Medical Research Council study. Additionally, this pamphlet was introduced by the then Minister for Urban Services Mr Terry Connolly.

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