Quad bikes: Senate demands Government make rollbars mandatory

A motion has passed the Senate calling on the Federal Coalition Government to make operator protection devices mandatory on all new quad bikes.

Life saver: The Senate has passed a motion calling on the Government to make operator protective devices (pictured in use) mandatory.

THE Senate has backed the nation’s consumer watchdog’s call for rollover devices to be fixed to all new quad bikes.

The Senate passed a motion today from Greens Senator Janet Rice that Senate “calls on the Government to act to prevent future deaths by adopting the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s recommendations in full”.

Senator Rice backed up her motion by highlighting that:

230 Australians had died in quad bike accidents since 2001.

MULTIPLE stakeholders have called for action on quad bike safety.

THE ACCC had regularly issued public warnings on quad bike safety since 2013, and has recommended a mandatory safety standard to the Assistant Treasurer, including requiring operator protection devices for general-use models.

The National Farmers’ Federation was buoyed by the Senate’s support for Greens Agriculture spokesperson Janet Rice’s motion, imploring the Government to act now on quad bike safety.

“It speaks volumes that the Senate came together to emphatically pass a motion to call on the Government to mandate operator protection devices on all new quad bikes within two years, as recommended by the ACCC,” NFF President Fiona Simson said.

“It’s disappointing to say the least that the Liberal-National Government continues to turn its back on farmers on this issue.

“We again ask the question, how many lives need to be lost and how many life-altering injuries do farmers need to endure before the Government sees merit in this simple, but lifesaving change?”

Since 2001 more than 230 Australians have died in quad bike related accidents. Eight lives have been lost this year.

The NFF’s support for the ACCC’s recommendation is shared by regional Australia’s most powerful voices including the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the National Rural Health Alliance, the National Rural Women’s Coalition, the Country Women’s Association of Australia, the Australian Medical Association and the Australian Workers’ Union.

Representatives of these organisations joined the NFF at a demonstration on the lawns of Parliament House on Tuesday to share the personal stories of those affected by quad bike rollovers.

MORE: NEW QUAD BIKE SAFETY ALLIANCE PUTS PRESSURE ON

CONSUMER WATCHDOG CALLS FOR MANDATORY OPDS

The demonstration also aimed to better inform Members and Senators of how OPDs work and to dismiss the myths being peddled by those with a vested interest in seeing the change frustrated.

Myths as far fetched as working dogs can’t jump on rollover-fitted quad bikes.

“We had high hopes that this would be the week that the Liberal-National Government acted with compassion and common sense on this issue,” Ms Simson said.

“We say to the Minister responsible, Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar, please in the interests of the lives of our farmers, act today and make the declaration needed to make this lifesaving change a reality.”