The Motorcycle Council of NSW Inc. Ph: 1300 679 622 (1300 NSW MCC) | enquiries@mccofnsw.org.au

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What the Pollies have said in response to our question on issues of interest to riders

The response has been less than overwhelming. This indicates that in most cases Pollies don’t see your interests as a rider worth supporting. However, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take every opportunity to ask them yourself, particularly at the time they are asking for your vote.

What we asked:-

Members of the Motorcycle Council of NSW (MCC) wish to know what are your policies on a number of issues that are of concern to them in the lead up to the March election.

Question

Tolls

There has been an inquiry into tolls but the Premier has announced that this won’t be released until after the election.

Motorcycles pay the same toll as a car yet there is no valid reason why this is so. There are motorcycle specific tolls in Victoria and Queensland that are a fraction of that of the car toll.

Why are NSW motorcycles treated differing to those interstate?

When the MCC has raised this issue with Government the response has been that motorcycles occupy the same space as a car in free flowing traffic on tollways. This claim is at odds with research by Professor Marcus Wigan that has found that motorcycle occur only half the space of a car.

For more information on this and other reasons why motorcycles should we charged less than a car, see our webpage https://mccofnsw.org.au/motorcycle-toll-campaign

A number of other road user groups obtain rebates, in particular the owners of large caravans who are reimbursed the difference between a truck toll and a car toll.

Will it be your policy that motorcyclists will be given a toll rebate?Q

Response

The Hon. Rod Roberts MLC, One Nation

We agree that motorcycles should receive some form of discount when using toll roads in New South Wales.
They should not pay the same toll as motor vehicles.
They should not be assessed solely upon space in traffic flow but on wear and tear of the road surface and several other factors.
Motorcycles are clearly not as heavy as other vehicles and do not cause damage to road surfaces at the same level.
Assessing a motorcycle on one set of criteria is prejudicial to obtain a just and fair outcome for motorcycle riders.

Ms Lyndal Howison
Labor Candidate for Ryde

Thank you for getting in touch, and for supplying all that important detail about this issue, it’s very helpful.
Chris Minns has today made an important announcement about tolls that I believe will be of great interest to you and your organisation.
51,000 drivers each week will have more and better toll relief under NSW Labor’s plan to introduce a $60 weekly toll cap. This will be immediate help to ease the burden of increasing tolls across Sydney and Western Sydney.
Labor’s toll cap will be on top of the existing toll rebate and M5 cashback schemes.
This means under Labor, drivers will be safe in knowing they will not pay more than $60 a week in tolls.
Labor’s toll cap will be in place for two years, and will commence on 1, January 2024. It will be administered by Service NSW. Any tolls charged above the cap will be refunded on a quarterly basis.
You can read news reporting about this announcement here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-02-12/nsw-election-labor-promises-60-dollar-road-toll-cap/101962720

Question

Interstate Compulsory Third Party Insurance

If you crash interstate, it is the CTP legislation in that State that determines what compensation an injured person receives.

The MCC was unaware of this until it was contacted by a rider who had a single vehicle motorcycle crash in Tasmania and had had an almost $20,000 bill for an air ambulance flight knocked back by both his NSW insurer and the Tasmanian Motor Accident Insurance Board.

The MCC has raised this issue with SIRA and they have developed a webpage with advice on what compensation is available if you crash interstate https://www.sira.nsw.gov.au/resources-library/motor-accident-resources/publications/injury-advice-centre/ctp-insurance-scheme-and-interstate-accidents

Even though this information is available, it is very likely that not many motorists are aware of what compensation they will receive when they cross into another State. They would assume that as they can freely cross into another State that they are still covered by their NSW CTP policy.

In Victoria, the Traffic Accident Authority (TAC) tops up any compensation that is obtained from interstate so the total compensation received is the same as if the crash had occurred in Victoria.

The MCC would like to see the NSW legislation changed so SIRA tops up any compensation received from interstate.

Some NRMA Insurance policies have this top up provision so the additional cost per policy of providing this top up must only be relatively small.

Will it be your policy to top up CTP compensation similar to how the Victoria scheme works?

Response

The Hon. Rod Roberts MLC, One Nation

We agree that all New South Wales motorists should be fully covered no matter the location within Australia.
Motorists have a legitimate expectation that when they pay their Green Slip for their registration they will be covered in the event of an incident.
As you know I sit on the Law and Justice Committee that reviews CTP and this is an issue that has been canvassed with the Committee and I am aware of and sympathetic to your concerns in this area as articulated in your submission dated 24 September 2022.

Question

Supporting Trail and Adventure Riding in NSW

Access to areas where licensed riders can ride registered trail bikes is gradually being lost.

The MCC, in partnership with Outdoors NSW & ACT, has written a discussion paper and a white paper on this issue see https://www.outdoorsnswact.org/trailbikes

In the ePetition “Support Trail & Adventure Motorcycling in NSW” the MCC requested funding to develop a Strategic Plan for trail and adventure motorcycle riding.

The MCC will also be requesting a Legislative Council Committee be formed to inquiry into trail and adventure riding in NSW.

Will it be your policy to support the development of a Strategic Plan for trail and adventure motorcycle riding in NSW and the formation of a Legislative Council Committee to inquiry into trail and adventure riding in NSW?

Response

The Hon. Rod Roberts MLC, One Nation

The policy of our party is New South Wales lands and infrastructure are here to be enjoyed by all our residents. Provided activities are done as safely as possible and cause minimal harm to others then they should be supported. Soccer players have soccer fields, dancers have theatres, bushwalkers have trails and hang gliders even have cliffs they can use. Motorcycle enthusiasts who wish to ride trails should have access to suitable areas of public lands to enjoy their chosen past time. The issue of obtaining approved single track riding areas is something NSW One Nation supports.

Additional parliamentary actions by Rod Roberts:

One Nation: SPORTING LOCATIONS FOR TRAIL BIKE RIDERS

8706 – Environment and Heritage – SPORTING LOCATIONS FOR TRAIL BIKE RIDERS
Roberts, Rod to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Regional Youth representing the Minister for Environment and Heritage

(1) In New South Wales there is a significant number of people who enjoy the sport of trail bike riding:
(a) What National Parks in New South Wales are accessible to residents to lawfully pursue the sporting and recreational activity of trail bike riding?
(b) What National Parks in New South Wales traditionally accessed by trail bike riders have been blocked or prohibited since 2011?
(c) Will the area known as “The Gardens of Stone State Conservation area” which has long been an area used by trail bike riders, be prohibited for use by trail bike riders?
(d) What is the Government doing to ensure residents of this state who wish to pursue the sport and recreational activity of trail bike riding can do so in lawful and dedicated locations?
Answer –
(1)
(a) There are over 10,000 kilometres of public roads and trails in NSW national parks that are accessible to residents to pursue recreational trail bike riding provided they are registered, ridden by licensed riders and stay on roads that are open to the public, some of which are maintained to 4WD standard. This is in accordance with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Vehicle Access Policy and consistent with ‘No Licence, No Rego, No Ride’, a longstanding collaborative campaign involving all public land managers and the NSW Police.
(b) Access to certain national parks has been restricted in the immediate aftermath of fires, floods and extended periods of wet weather. I understand these are mostly temporary closures and access is re¬established consistent with the park’s plan of management where possible. Other temporary closures may occur on a regular or seasonal basis, for example in winter due to likely snowfall. Permanent closures of roads traditionally open to the public can only occur under a park’s plan of management.
(c) Once reserved, the Gardens of Stone State Conservation Area will continue to be subject to the same ‘No Licence, No Rego, No Ride’ policy as other public lands. The park will provide a network of access roads for all registered vehicles including trail bikes. A draft plan of management will be publicly exhibited, which will provide an opportunity for recreational users of the park to have input.
(d) NPWS manages an extensive network of roads in its parks that are open for motorbike touring by licensed riders on registered trail bikes.
Question asked on 19 April 2022 (session 57-1) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 724
Answer received on 10 May 2022 and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 738

One Nation: SINGLE TRACK RIDING POLICY

8922 – Environment and Heritage – SINGLE TRACK RIDING POLICY

Roberts, Rod to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Regional Youth representing the Minister for Environment and Heritage

(1) Does the National Parks and Wildlife Service have a policy that prevents single track trail riding in National Parks?
(a) If so, where does a member of the public obtain a copy of that policy?
Answer –
(1) Vehicle access to national parks is managed in accordance with the National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Vehicle Access Policy. This is consistent with the longstanding collaborative campaign, ‘No Licence, No Rego, No Ride’, involving all public land managers and NSW Police.
The Vehicle Access Policy does not use the term ‘single-track’, but states that private vehicles may not be driven off-road except in limited circumstances.
(a) The Policy is publicly available on the NSW Department of Planning and Environment’s website at www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/parks-reserves-and-protected¬areas/park-policies/vehicle-access.
Question asked on 7 June 2022 (session 57-1) and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 757
Answer received on 29 June 2022 and published in Questions & Answers Paper No. 772

Question

Potholes

A media release on the 27th October 2022 by the Minister for Metropolitan Roads and the Minister for Regional Transport and Roads says:- “Unprecedented heavy rain this year has seen more than 152,000 potholes filled across the state since the start of March, including almost 18,500 on Sydney roads alone” and “The NSW Government is trialing new, innovative ways to plug potholes faster than ever before during extreme weather events.” https://www.nsw.gov.au/media-releases/magic-mix-paving-way-for-faster-pothole-repairs

It has also been reported that the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has joined with the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) to call for an urgent rethink of road construction, maintenance and funding.

Will it be your policy to support methods of repairing potholes permanently rather than the current quick fix methods that fail when it next rains?

Response

The Hon. Rod Roberts MLC, One Nation

Potholes or road quality in general is an issue that New South Wales One Nation is at the forefront of raising with Government Ministers.
Roads need to be of such quality as to provide safety and serviceability for all motorists.
For example, where heavy vehicles are constantly using a road then that road needs upgrades to ensure it remains safe for all users.
See the attachment where I am leading a campaign to fight for upgrades and repairs to the Snowy Mountains Highway, a road I am aware motorcyclist use on a very regular basis.
In relation to potholes, I see no point in wasting resources on band-aid temporary fixes when the appropriate method should be a more permanent repair of the roadway.
Road quality, fitness for purpose, adequacy, and the forethought to be built before growth are all major policies for New South Wales One Nation.

Link: Tumut and Adelong times article

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Contact Info

The Motorcycle Council of NSW Inc.
PO Box 517
Parramatta 2124

Ph: 1300 679 622 (1300 NSW MCC)

General Enquiries
Please direct enquiries to:
MCCNSW Email
enquiries@mccofnsw.org.au

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