E-rideables—Community safety
730. Mr Ron Sao to the Minister for Road Safety:
I refer to the Cook Labor government's commitment to keeping Western Australians safe on our roads and footpaths.
(1) Can the minister update the house on how this government is responding to the increasing use of e-rideables in the Western Australian community?
(2) Can the minister also outline any major initiatives in this important work?
Mr Reece Whitby replied:
(1)–(2) I thank the member for Cannington. I appreciate the question and his interest in this area. The government tasked the Community Development and Justice Standing Committee earlier this year with the important role of looking at the safety of e-scooters. Our government is committed to community safety. We know that, and we know all the things we are doing across policing and road safety. This is an important area to look at. In the bipartisan spirit of the last day of Parliament, I want to sincerely thank my colleagues across the way, including the member for Roe for chairing the committee; the Deputy Chair, the member for Maylands; and all the members of the committee. I point to the member for Dawesville in particular, given her previous experience as a paramedic. She brought a particular insight and passion to that committee role. Today in Parliament she told the story of how she sat in the back of an ambulance with someone who was severely injured in an e-rideable incident. The member was on the front line of what these e-rideables can do and why there is a need for change. The member made a difference then and is making a difference now by her role on that committee, so thank you. I have gone through the committee's recommendations and findings today. I will sit down with my colleagues and other ministers who have relevant responsibilities and we will come back with a formal response. I made a commitment that we would provide a formal response early in the new year.
There had been 12 deaths related to e-scooters in Western Australia since 2022, as the members on the committee will know. Tragically, another death—the 13th—was of a pedestrian who was just walking along a city street. There have been seven e-scooter fatalities this year. That is an astounding statistic that stood out to me—seven this year! It is important that we respond. I think the community needs to appreciate that these are not toys; they are devices that are capable of reaching a very great speed and are, in many ways, inherently dangerous. As a community, we need to respond to this challenge together. At the same time, they can be a safe, effective and convenient way of getting around, so we do not want to close the door entirely on that form of transport. There are great uses for them in tourism and getting around and people enjoying themselves on them, but we need to look at what has been raised. If anything, the report has shone a light on and raised awareness of this issue. We will continue on that journey because we need to address these issues. They are being grappled with across Australia and across the world, but I think this report gives Western Australia a very good head start against the other jurisdictions to come up with world's best practice in trying to deal with these issues.
I will conclude on the decision my colleague the Minister for Education made, announcing today that in term 1 next year there will be a ban on e-rideables in state schools for students who are 16 years of age and under. We know that is already the law, but it needs clarity and certainty at the school gate to inform parents and everyone that e-scooters should not be on school grounds. I support and thank the Minister for Education for the immediate action that was announced today.
