The NSW government is moving towards making mobile phone enforcement technology a reality on our roads by calling on potential providers to present practical, technology-based solutions to the problem.

The public call out seeks to identify potential technology and suitable suppliers for a system to detect mobile phone offences on our roads. 

Developing this technology would be a world first and is one of the priorities of the NSW government’s Road Safety Plan 2021. 

At 60 kilometres per hour, a car travels 33 metres in two seconds. Look at your phone for a few seconds and you continue to travel, virtually blind.

From 2012 to 2017, there were 184 crashes involving illegal use of a mobile phone. From these, seven died and 105 were injured.

Yet, more than 40,000 people were fined by NSW Police for illegal mobile phone use in the 2016/17 financial year.

As part of the Road Safety Plan 2021, the NSW government will implement legislative changes to allow camera technology to enforce mobile phone offences.

The Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Road Safety) Bill 2018 was introduced into the NSW Legislative Assembly on March 6. NSW is the first jurisdiction to introduce such legislation in Australia.

Honouring the spirit of the Anzacs

This year marks the 103rd anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign and to commemorate the spirit of Anzac I have again produced an eight page booklet featuring stories of local diggers.

The Spirit of Anzac provides an insight into Australia’s military history and particularly the heroic contributions of brave men and women from the Port Macquarie electorate.

Australians are proud people who respect tradition and honour great feats of bravery, especially for the Anzac legend born amid fierce fighting at Gallipoli.

That legend has since grown in spirit during wars and conflicts involving our country’s defence forces.

I encourage all communities within the Port Macquarie electorate to embrace the spirit of Anzac at this special time.

A copy of the Spirit of Anzac is being sent to each household in the Port Macquarie electorate.