Page 17 - Australian Pork Newspaper

Bush voices demand Government leadership on quad bike safety
ALREADY this year, seven Australians, in- cluding children, have lost their lives in quad bike accidents.
Despite the horrifying statistic, the Government is stalling on implement- ing the mandatory fitting of operator protection devices to all new quad bikes within two years.
Following an extensive inquiry, the Australian Competition and Con- sumer Commission made the recommendation to Government in February this year.
The change is made by the Assistant Treasurer signing off on a ‘declara- tion’ without the need to introduce new legisla- tion.
However to date, the Government has failed to take action.
National Farmers’ Fed- eration president Fiona Simson said, “We are at a loss to understand why the Government won’t introduce this simple change to save lives.”
“Since 2001 more than 230 Australians have died in quad bike-related incidents.
“More than half of these deaths were a re- sult of a quad bike rollo- ver and crushing or as- phyxiation, which OPDs prevent.
“Either the Govern- ment doesn’t think the
many lives lost warrant taking action or there are other factors at play,” she said.
The National Farmers’ Federation is supported in its call for quad bike safety changes by a coali- tion of regional and rural Australia’s most respected voices including: Rural Doctors Association of Australia; Royal Flying Doctor Service; National Rural Health Alliance; National Rural Women’s Coalition; Country Wom- en’s Association of Aus- tralia; Australian Workers Union; National Centre for Farmer Health; Ag- Force; NSW Farmers; Victorian Farmers Fed- eration; Primary Produc- ers South Australia and WAFarmers.
“During National Farm Safety Week, Federal Parliament was sitting in Canberra,” Ms Simson said.
“The Government need do little more than tick a box to see this change enacted.
“By not taking action, they may think they are responding to concerns about the supposed risks associated with OPDs and the impact on quad bike values.
“But these ‘concerns’ have been seeded by the manufacturers who are simply advancing their own interests.
“Not one of the ‘ex- cuses’ advanced by the manufacturers withstand scrutiny or trump the risk of death and crip- pling injury.
“To not act on the ad- vice of the ACCC and the calls from the many organisations speaking
out is a slap in the face to rural and regional Australia and our most important asset – our people.
“We are calling on the Government to step up and show leadership on what is an issue of the utmost seriousness.”
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