SENATOR GLENN STERLE
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR ROAD SAFETY
LABOR SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA  

APPOINTMENT AS SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER
 

It is an absolute honour today to have been appointed the Shadow Assistant Minister for Road Safety.
 
As a proud Western Australian, I have had the privilege of representing my State in the Senate since 2005.
 
My commitment to the people of WA and their future is as firm today as it was when I was first elected.
 
And that commitment continues to be strong as I take on this new role.
 
I made my living out of driving trucks. I come from a trucking family. My dad was a truck driver, I was a truck driver and my son is a truck driver. As a result, road safety for our transport families and all road users has been at the forefront of my mind for many years.
 
I understand and appreciate the issues that confront road users and the conditions that those who work in the transport industry face.
 
Road safety is an issue that affects all Australians.
 
The cost of road deaths and injuries is estimated to be over $30 billion annually.
 
Over the last ten years, there have been 14,525 road fatalities in Australia.
 
During the 2017 calendar year, 1,226 people died on our roads. And sadly, there have been 480 deaths on our roads this year alone. This is 21 deaths (4.6%) higher than the same period last year.
 
The Government is not on track to meet its target to reduce deaths on our roads. It is clear that more needs to be done to make and keep our roads safer.
 
Before entering Parliament, I advocated for better working conditions for the truck drivers of Australia.
 
Better working conditions for our drivers means safer roads for all Australians. I was proud of the work that I achieved then and I have been proud to continue this work as a Senator, and in my capacity as Chair of the Senate Rural Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee.
 
I look forward to getting to work in this portfolio area straight away and working with all stakeholders to vastly improve road safety for all Australians.

THURSDAY, 28 JUNE 2018 
 
MEDIA CONTACT: BEN WHOLAGAN – 0400 685 543