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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Wednesday, 11 February 2004) . . Page.. 253 ..

the territory. I have looked at the Greens’ suggested amendments, and I will support those. I think they are sensible, and I thank the Greens for that submission.

My motion also calls upon the minister for education to conduct a review of all school crossings and to report back on the findings of the review to the Assembly by 1 July 2004. I believe that there is now sufficient evidence to warrant a review of all school crossings in the ACT.

As well as the debacles at Torrens, Amaroo and Good Shepherd schools, there are many schools that do not have adequate school crossings to meet the duty of care the government has for both parents and children to ensure the safety of all students enrolled in all ACT schools. I do not think this is deliberate, and I am not criticising the government for being uncaring; I just think this is a priority that needs a lot more focus.

Given the information that we are getting back, the matter needs to be drilled right down to because we have too many schools that are seen to be struggling in the management of their traffic flows, morning and afternoon. I have spoken previously about Fraser primary school. Another example is the northbound Kingsford Smith Drive bus stop access to St Francis Xavier high school, which is on the far side of a dual carriageway and has no school crossing.

Members, I look to you for support in this vitally important matter. I hope the department is doing its job. I think it is trying to, and I sympathise that the school crossing issue is a complex and costly challenge. We cannot trifle with children’s safety. I believe there is sufficient concern, and we must encourage the government to act. I believe that the Assembly has a duty to recognise the concern and we members a duty to take action. My colleagues here probably feel the way that I do. I therefore seek the support of members to ask the government to undertake the necessary safety audit and report back to the Assembly on the designated date that I gave earlier.

My fear is that, if this government does not get this audit under way and if we do not see a quality safety audit and then quick follow-up action based on the findings of that audit, we will see increasing accidents. The daily grind of life and the rat-race syndrome are increasing daily. Commuters are taking short cuts, traffic congestion is increasing and the frustrations of all are increasing. Harried parents are parking not so well. They often double park and they make mistakes. Excited children alight from buses.

I believe schools are becoming more chaotic areas, morning and afternoon. Community concerns indicate this, and school committees are telling us this. I believe time cannot be wasted. I hereby call upon the government to immediately attend to the known priority concerns and to carry out as soon as possible a safety audit of the traffic management flows of the entire school system by 1 July.

MS TUCKER (6.19): I have circulated an amendment to this motion in my name, but I am going to have a revised amendment circulated as soon as it is ready. I will talk to the revised amendment right now to expedite the debate—it will come as I am talking, or afterwards, when I will move it formally.

Mr Pratt’s motion seems to be worded in a way that addresses all the issues involved in the management of traffic around schools for the safety of children. My amendments

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