Media Statement: Motorcycles ACC Nick Smith

[RentaTriumph]

Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister for ACC

12 August 2010



Media Statement

Motorcyclists & ACC look to Victoria to improve motorcycle safety
New Zealand needs to follow the lead of Victoria, Australia where the
serious injury rate for registered motorcyclists has fallen 20% since a
safety levy was introduced eight years ago, ACC Minister Nick Smith says.

"New Zealand has a serious problem with motorcycle accidents, with
fatalities, serious injuries and costs significantly increasing. Claim
numbers are up from 871 in 1998 to 5044 in 2008. Deaths and serious injuries
have increased 68% over the past five years. These increases cannot be
dismissed on the basis of increased motorcycle numbers as the number of
claims per registered motorcycle has also increased.

"Addressing this high injury rate is why the Government ring-fenced $30 of
the moped/motorcycle levy for injury prevention. This new fund of $3 million
per year will be modelled on the successful Transport Accident Commission's
programme in Victoria where since 2002 there has been a noticeable drop in
the rate of injuries per motorcycle attributed to the levy and associated
safety programme. Our collective ambition should be to reduce motorcycle
fatalities in New Zealand from 50 per year to a rate comparable with that in
Victoria. This would save 16 Kiwi lives a year.

Dr Smith is in Melbourne this week to hear first hand about the Victorian
motorcycle safety programme. The Minister is leading a delegation that
includes representatives from ACC, the Ulysses Club of New Zealand, Bikers
Rights Organisation of NZ (BRONZ), the Automobile Association and
Motorcycling New Zealand.

"Motorcyclists are concerned over last year's levy hikes but I am determined
to find common ground in improving safety so as to reduce the road toll and
the injury costs to ACC. I am encouraged by the commitment of ACC and the
lead motorcycle organisations to learn from Victoria's positive experience
and make this new programme work for New Zealand motorcyclists."

[Katman]

Dr Smith is in Melbourne this week to hear first hand about the Victorian
motorcycle safety programme. The Minister is leading a delegation that
includes representatives from ACC, the Ulysses Club of New Zealand, Bikers
Rights Organisation of NZ (BRONZ), the Automobile Association and
Motorcycling New Zealand.

So who's being wined and dined in Melbourne and not bothering to report back to New Zealand motorcyclists?

[bogan]

notice how the article uses rates to show aus's program works, and numbers to show ours doesn't. Gee I wonder if the total number of bikers on NZ roads has risen since 02

[varminter]

Washn't me, hic, burp.

[NONONO]

So who's being wined and dined in Melbourne and not bothering to report back to New Zealand motorcyclists?

Eh?
Elaborate.

[Katman]

Eh?
Elaborate.

Well there's a crew of them there.

It'd be nice to hear how the R&R's going.

[NONONO]

Jeez, it's like Zen around here sometimes..
WTF?

[mashman]

Well there's a crew of them there.

It'd be nice to hear how the R&R's going.

Did you notice the release date? 12 August 2010... i'm pretty sure they're back

[Squiggles]

I'd expect to hear back mid next week.

Vic has surprisingly similar figures to what we have and the effort they've put in certainly seems to be making a difference.

Some the areas they spend money on.

[bogan]

I'd expect to hear back mid next week.

Vic has surprisingly similar figures to what we have and the effort they've put in certainly seems to be making a difference.

Some the areas they spend money on.

You look through that list of what they have spend money on, isn't it stuff that car drivers get anyway? they pay no safety levy so why should we?

[pete376403]

Did you notice the release date? 12 August 2010... i'm pretty sure they're back

Stoney was scheduled to give a presentation at the Wgtn BRONZ meeting this evening (and I missed it!)

[NONONO]

Did you notice the release date? 12 August 2010... i'm pretty sure they're back

Back from where?

[Squiggles]

You look through that list of what they have spend money on, isn't it stuff that car drivers get anyway? they pay no safety levy so why should we?

Is it stuff they get? Or is it stuff they'd get if there was all the money in the world (which there isnt) and this way it gets prioritised? (In regards to the engineering aspect)

[MSTRS:Me]

The DisHon Dr Nick the Prick
Minister for Lies, Bullshit and Dodgy Stats


.... Claim numbers are up from 871 in 1998 to 5044 in 2008....

This bullshit being trotted out again?
The 871 was new claims of a 'serious' nature. The 5044 was all claims - minor, serious and historical (which would include some of those 871 from 10 years before).

[bogan]

Is it stuff they get? Or is it stuff they'd get if there was all the money in the world (which there isnt) and this way it gets prioritised? (In regards to the engineering aspect)

not quite sure what you mean? priorities or not, cars still get their safety campaigns from general whereas we now have to pay extra. My point is that a safety levy for motorcycles is inherently discriminatory against us.

In fact the pessimist in me reckons that eventually all bike safety funding will have to come from the levys, the minimal amount we currently get from the general fund will dry up, and we'll be shit out of luck if the levy fund runs out.