Shock tactics on way over crashes

Source: Herald Sun

TAC chief executive Janet Dore says reducing serious injuries is one of the main goals of a 10-year strategy. Source: Supplied

A RECORD $1 billion in compensation was paid to victims of road accidents in Victoria last year.

The ballooning cost - a total of $4.6 billion in the past five years - has prompted the TAC to overhaul its road safety strategies.

New measures will be put in place in a desperate bid to curb the number of serious and costly injuries - and "shock and awe" messages are on the agenda.

Compensation increased by about 30 per cent between 2007 and 2012, from $775.3 million to $1 billion.

Over the last five years, drivers have received $1.36 billion, followed by passengers ($766 million), motorcyclists ($710 million) and cyclists ($558 million).

Among those to get payments last year were:

A 19-YEAR-OLD man who fell off his trail bike and suffered a brain injury and significant arm injuries.

A MAN in his 30s paralysed in a car crash. His pregnant wife had their daughter while he was in hospital.

A 42-YEAR-OLD cyclist hit by a tram in St Kilda, suffering brain injury and broken bones.

A MAN in his 30s had part of his skull removed after being hit by a tram in the CBD.

A 32-YEAR-OLD woman who suffered brain injury and vision impairment after crashing on a rural highway.

While average lifetime care costs $31,700, about $5.5 million has been paid to those who became quadriplegics.

As part of the drastic overhaul, Victoria is developing a severe injury category that will help distinguish, for example, between broken bones and brain injuries. TAC chief executive Janet Dore said reducing serious injuries was one of the main goals of a 10-year strategy.

She said in the past 25 years, the road toll had dropped by 60 per cent but serious injuries had only fallen 45 per cent.

"As these costs continue to rise, it's important we focus on keeping the TAC scheme viable, as many of these people will need long-term, sometimes lifetime support," Ms Dore said.

aleks.devic@news.com.au

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Flaming tyre attack shock for politician

ARSON: A burning tyre was rolled into the office of Cr Ryan Murphy at Cannon Hill. Picture: Jono Searle Source: The Courier-Mail

A BLAZING tyre was thrown through a Brisbane City councillor's office window in the inner-Brisbane suburb of Cannon Hill.

It is believed a man threw the tyre through Councillor Ryan Murphy Member for Doboy’s window about 2.40am Tuesday.

The office is located within a shopping complex on the corner of Creek Road and Wynnum Road.

An on-patrol policeman and police dog came across the scene on nightly rounds and alerted other emergency services.

Police said the man allegedly lashed out at the dog, kicking him several times.

He also allegedly punched the police dog handler in the face before being arrested.

ARSON: A burning tyre was rolled into the office of Cr Ryan Murphy at Cannon Hill. Picture: Jono Searle

Cr Ryan Murphy said he had no idea why someone would want to attack his office.

"I'm really shocked," he told ABC radio.

"I think any councillor whose office is attempted to burned down would be."

The fire brigade brought the fire under control quickly and there was no significant damage.

A 41-year-old Kippa Ring man has been charged with attempted arson, serious assault police and injuring a police dog.

He has also been charged with wilful damage, enter premises with intent, stealing and obstruct police.

The man is due to appear in court on Tuesday.

- additional reporting by Thomas Chamberlin and AAP

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Graphic new ad to shock drivers

Be first to see the powerful new TAC ad shocking drivers into ignoring mobile phones while driving.

THE Transport Accident Commission has produced a graphic new ad campaign aimed at driver distractions.

The Herald Sun was today given access to some of the material before the launch.

An ad which will start being shown on television from tonight warns that "distractions lead to disaster" - and then shows a dramatic sequence of events which does end in disaster.

It then shows a driver initially using his mobile phone as a GPS and when he leans down to look at the phone on the passenger seat he almost hits a car stopped while waiting to turn right.

Further up the road he changes to a different music track and just misses a group of cyclists.

Then he leans down as a text arrives on his phone and slams into a mother pushing a pram across a zebra crossing.

A compilation of TAC road crash TV ads over 20 years has become a worldwide YouTube phenomenon.

The ad warns that if you are distracted for just two seconds at only 50km/h you will travel 27 metres - effectively blind.

In another graphic ad a distracted driver hits a student getting off a tram.

Giving support to the TAC campaign at the launch tody will be Vicki Richardson, whose hairdresser daughter Brooke, 20, died in December last year when her car hit a tree.

Brooke's mobile phone showed that she had been texting and driving moments before the accident.

"Since Brooke's death we have been urging our community around Mulwala, and all Victorians, to please, don't be tempted to use your mobile phone while driving." Ms Richardson said yesterday.

ANTHONY Bartle and Simon van Beest share their remarkable tales of survival against the odds to mark the 25th anniversary of the Transport Accident Commission (TAC).

"It's just not worth cutting a life short."

Premier Ted Baillieu said the campaign to target mobile phones and other driver distractions was strongly supported by Victorians who responded to last year's road safety survey, which was published in the Herald Sun.

"Victoria has led the world with our campaigns on drink-driving, drugs and speeding, but little has been done to educate drivers on the dangers of being distracted while driving," he said.

"Phone calls, text messages, music and GPS devices combine to make it more challenging to concentrate behind the wheel.

"It's important all road users understand how quickly inattention can end in disaster.

"All Victorians - pedestrians, cyclists, drivers, passengers - have a responsibility to concentrate and be alert to what's happening on the road."

Assistant Treasurer and ministerial council for road safety member Gordon Rich-Phillips said mobile phones were the biggest distraction for road users.

"In 2011-12 Victoria Police issued more than 55,000 mobile phone infringement notices to drivers, with 20 to 30-year-olds the biggest offenders," he said.

"Other distractions include using satellite navigation systems, eating food, putting on makeup while driving or using iPod and MP3 players while walking, riding and driving."

Of the 55,000 people fined for mobile phone use, 58 per cent were aged 20-39, 67 per cent were male and 33 per cent were female.

keith.moor@news.com.au
 

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Double-digit shock in power price surge

     Source: The Courier-Mail

HOUSEHOLDS are set to be stung by a massive double-digit electricity price hike, the biggest increase in years.

A combination of factors will be blamed for the hike, including the ongoing investment in the distribution network, subsidies for rooftop solar systems and the carbon tax.

The Courier-Mail has learnt that today's announcement by the Queensland Competition Authority will shock many households already struggling to keep up with surging bills.

How will you cope with the power price rise? Tell us below

It is expected the Newman Government will attempt to tackle the increase, which is yet to be detailed, with a raft of actions, including reducing the requirement to build duplicate backup infrastructure.

After promising to deliver cost-of-living relief at last year's election, the price rise will put pressure on Premier Campbell Newman to deliver long-term relief from skyrocketing electricity costs.

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However selling off assets has been ruled out as an option until after the next election.

The Government will also maintain the lucrative 44c feed-in tariff for some solar consumers, despite the generous impost being passed on to all other households.

Lifting last year's election price cap on tariff 11 will cost the average household about $120 per annum.

The QCA determines electricity price hikes according to many factors, including information supplied by retailers. Today's announcement by the QCA will be the first in a new three-year arrangement to control the state's prices.

Debate remains over Queensland's decision to regulate prices. Victoria's prices are not regulated and evidence shows that customers there pay less or the same as Queenslanders.

Origin Energy managing director Grant King yesterday criticised Queensland's system, claiming the regulated prices were effectively shutting out small energy retailers.

"People might move (electricity retailers) for $100, but they won't generally move for $50 or $25 or nothing," Mr King said. "So it is a reverse logic because the price regulation sets a cap, but if the cap is too low there is not enough room to compete."

According to a report by the Australian Energy Regulator, three retailers - AGL, Origin and Energy Australia - jointly supply 76 per cent of customers.

Last year, Origin went to court to argue that QCA had set the price too low.

Premier Newman reacted strongly last winter when Origin challenged the QCA determination, urging government departments to shop around the retailer for a better deal.

Origin reneged and the Supreme Court later upheld the QCA's decision-making process.

On Friday morning, Queensland's Treasurer slammed the proposed double-digit electricity price hikes as "unacceptable" and blamed "bad decisions" by the former State Government, and the Federal Government.

Speaking on ABC Radio, Tim Nicholls said the Federal Government had permitted its regulator to allow "overinvestment in poles and wires" which made up 60 per cent of the increase.

He said the second largest component of the increase was the "very poorly thought through solar scheme" which gave people who could afford green energy systems enormous payouts.

"Four years ago about 2000 people had solar, that's now heading towards 200,000 and that energy is being redirected back into a system that has to be upgraded in order to take it," Mr Nicholls said.

"Nonetheless, people who have solar need to have power from the generators because they turn on most of their power after six o'clock at night when the sun goes down. It is an idiot cycle that hasn't been properly thought through."

Mr Nicholls said they were still waiting to see the determination being released by the Queensland Competition Authority.

"When it comes through, we'll be looking at the determination to see what assistance we can provide to Queenslanders to help them deal with what is unfortunately a legacy issue from past bad decisions made by both the former State Government and the Federal Government," Mr Nicholls said.

Additional reporting, Robyn Ironside

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