Road strategy a cash grab
This is the first time I have submitted a letter to the Editor for publication in any media.
I have over 35 years regional and city driving experience for work and private travel. When I read the recent article in Today on 14 April about the Palaszczuk Labour Governments “New Qld road safety strategy aim to halve deaths“ my immediate thought was here comes yet another increase in fines and I was right.
These changes are clearly another huge Government money grab from motorists for the most minor infringements. The slowest speed category thresholds have been reduced along with a 57 per cent to 135 per cent increase fines. If you happen to be photographed driving at say 81kph in an 70kph zone your fine will now be $431, that’s a 135 per cent increase from the previous $183 fine for under 13kph over the limit. The smallest infringements have experienced large fine increases solely to ensure a huge increase in revenue. This is a disgrace, it has nothing to do with safety and has no chance of halving road related deaths. The publicly available speed related incident statistics have remained largely the same for decades with the vast majority of speed related incidents occurring at excessively high speeds well above the speed limit, not at speeds 5, 10 or 15kph over the limit.
Running a red light or texting on your phone is very dangerous and a big fine is appropriate but these speeding fine increases do not reasonably or fairly reflect the seriousness or the actual danger posed by the offense especially at the lower levels. It would be more appropriate to substantially increase fines in the higher categories EG 31 -40kph or over 40kph but the changes focus on the minor categories EG 1-10 over as these occur far more often and will bring in much more money.
ALSO, Drivers who fail to ensure all vehicle occupants are wearing a seat belt will NOW be fined $1,078 (up from $413) and lose four demerit points (it was 3 previously). Punishing the driver for an adult passenger not wearing a seat belt is unfair and totally inappropriate. Fining the driver and the adult occupant a total of $2156 for one adult not wearing a seat belt is profoundly unfair and unreasonable.
It’s clear that Camera detected offenses like speeding, seat belts, running red lights & phone use are the ONLY offenses Governments target because they are easy money. You don’t see many Police campaigns targeting drivers for not indicating or following to closely or not keeping left on freeways etc. If a camera can’t do it then our Government officials aren’t interested. More money from fines is their only goal under the guise of increasing safety, but they’re happy for you to keep speeding along the road until you encounter the next camera and subsequent huge fine.
Mark Schneider,
Warwick.
Rubbish bin expansion
I agree with all the letters in the paper. The bins were left on the side of the road where they will remain as they will never be used.
As stated in the paper Cleanaway conducted an audit on each property, who was spoken to at the property, as no person is on the property as it is an Estate.
This Council knows that it is by the mailing address. I believe no audit was carried out.
Where there is two entrances opposite each other, one receives bins and the other did not. How could the audit make this blunder?
This is why I believe no audit was carried out. I beleive the audit was done from the armchair in council. Is this a money grab by the council or the contractors? Is this a change in contract?
This council talks about creating employment. If this is a change, why not change the contract to all recycled garbage is sorted within this council area to create employment instead of the employment in Toowoomba? When the trucks are full they go to Toowoomba to unload.
I do not use the recycleable to the endeavour foundation as I did before bins were introduced. The problem is i still have to pay for the service. I prefer to create employment for the local people at Endeavour.
Country people over the years have always dealt with their rubbish in their own way. To me It was a stupid statement made by Cr Sheryl Windle, take their rubbish to the bin in their car before leaving the house.
How many are elderly people or owners don’t go out every day and do not have employment somewhere else?
To my way of thinking she doesn’t know how country people work. It is no wonder half the council was voted out last election.
Next election we need a big change. If not the whole council. As is appears it is too stressful for some councilors. A letter from council was received at my mailing address today, the address started with the Estate of. How is this person going to ask questions? To me it proves how mutch this council is out of touch with the ratepayers. This letter was from the CEO.
ARS,
Warwick
