The Politics of Speed Cameras

This photo was taken at about 1015am 12th May 2005 just out side Mt. Compass on the Adelaide to Victor Harbor Road in South Australia. Two speed cameras within 80 feet of each other!!! (The quality is a bit poor due to its origin - mobile phone camera)

How can the authorities in South Australia be taken seriously after they pulled this type of juvenile stunt. Two speed cameras so close together you can hardly believe it. Don't worry this isn't an isolated incident. New South Wales was caught not so long ago doing the same thing. The NSW courts however put paid to that little foray by ruling that a speeding offence during type of dual speed camera setup is still just one speeding offence.

Western Australian authorities had a go at motorists about 18 months ago when the WA Police Supt of Traffic put 12 speed cameras on the Freeway as a media stunt. All he managed to do was alienate most of the motoring public and ruin any credibility that he had in the community. Look, if police authorities in Australia want to kill off the "road safety" message, then this is just the way to go!

Speed Cameras - "The Political Football"

House: Legislative Assembly- QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Date: Wednesday, 20 August 2003

ROAD SAFETY SPEED CAMPAIGN

Mrs M.H. ROBERTS:

"...Today's message is "Fast drivers are slow learners". The effects of speeding are similar to those of drink-driving. Evidence suggests that people who drive even five kilometres over the limit in a 60 kilometre an hour zone are just as likely to have a crash as if they had a blood alcohol content of 0.05. (WHAT!!!!)

This education campaign is backed by enforcement that is crucial to young males getting the right message about the dangers and consequences of speeding.

This Government has shown leadership on the issue of road safety and has implemented a vast array of initiatives since coming into government. By comparison, the Opposition has demonstrated its complete lack of leadership. Its new road safety policy would see warning signs placed in front of Multanova speed cameras. (Hmm... Interesting Concept!) Clearly, the message from the Opposition is not to "not speed" but, rather, "not to get caught". I note that today the independent chair of the Road Safety Council asked what would be the Opposition's next policy. Will it be to have a warning sign erected before a booze bus? It is plainly irresponsible and the carnage on our roads makes it indefensible. However, it seems that this is a Liberal Party attitude; it is anti-police and anti-road safety...."

From the sublime to the ridiculous! Is there no middle ground on this issue. One minute they are hidden in "Maxwell Smart" locations, and the next they are wearing "hats on their heads" that say "kick me!"

Revenue from: MULTANOVAS

732. Mr C.J. BARNETT to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services:

I refer to reports in The West Australian on 29 May 2003 that 8 525 speeders were caught by the 10 Multanovas placed on the freeway last week.

(1) Can the minister confirm that this nine-and-a-half-hour experiment will net the State Government at least $400 000, which equates to more than $44 000 an hour?

(2) Will the minister guarantee to the House that all that speed camera revenue will be directed to specific and genuine road safety projects?

Mrs M.H. ROBERTS replied:

(1)-(2) I thank the Leader of the Opposition for this question. The answer to the first question is no and the answer to the second question is yes. Not everyone who was caught speeding during that time was given an infringement notice. In fact, the vast majority of people who were speeding did not get an infringement notice. A person needs to travel more than a couple of kilometres over the speed limit to receive an infringement notice. That variation relates to the accuracy of people’s speedometers. I suspect that the figure cited by the Leader of the Opposition is incorrect. Interestingly, the Leader of the Opposition said on 28 May that it was revenue raising at the expense of road safety and that it was ridiculous to put all the State’s Multanovas along the freeway on one day. (He wasn't the only one! - try 99% of Perth's population)

The member for Carine said on the same day -

The only benefit that I can see from that is that the Government are obviously hell-bent on raising revenue and really not sending the right message to the community in terms of saving lives on our roads.
I convey to the House the very interesting fact that over the long weekend not one life was lost on our roads as a result of speeding. (That was more good luck than good management!! - try rolling a dice you'd get the same result.)

I commend Assistant Commissioner John Standing, who has more than 30 years experience in the Police Service. He has a genuine interest in road safety and in saving lives. Although he is approaching retirement, he is known for taking a very tough approach. I describe his approach to policing as firm but fair. This was his initiative, and I commend him for it. It highlighted to people in the lead-up to the long weekend that the State was tackling speeding. (Neat stunt! It certainly reasures me that we have the right people incharge of our police service - How about you?)

We did not rely on only that method. We put more than the normal number of police vehicles on the road. (yeah right 5 instead of 3 ) Mr Speaker, you probably would have noticed it in your electorate. We put seven new highway patrol cars on the roads. Those patrols, which were based in Geraldton, Bunbury, Kalgoorlie, Newman and Northam, were given the task of doing nothing but patrol highways.

The freeway operation was a commendable initiative that raised people’s awareness, which is what it was designed to do. The Leader of the Opposition has not done his homework. The vast majority of people detected as speeding were not fined. About one per cent of people were fined.

(Mrs Robers, I thought you said you didn't have the figures - answer to question one. How was it that you pulled "1%" out of thin air? )