NSW increases ATV safety investment

The ruling Liberal governmment in NSW has expanded its investment in the quad bike safety improvement program that it first launched in 2016, – a decision that has incurred the wrath of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

The state’s Minister for Better Regulation, Matt Kean, said total spend on the program would now reach $3.7 million.

The state-wide package offers two rebates, worth up to $1000 each, to replace an existing quad bike or have it fitted with safety equipment like roll bars, as well as free accredited quad bike training with Tocal College.

“NSW continues to lead the way when it comes to quad bike safety, with the latest funds ramping up rebates and training for farmers across the state,” Kean said.

“Today’s funding means we can continue to work with farmers to help ensure that when they head off to work in the morning, they return home safely to their family each night.”

Since launching in July 2016, the program has issued almost $1.6 million worth of quad bike safety rebates, and more than 850 farm workers have completed accredited training. Funding for an additional 100 courses has also been set aside in 2018-19.

FCAI: “Quad bike subsidy misdirected”

Meanwhile, the extension to the quad bike subsidy campaign has been criticised heavily by the FCAI, which believes the policy compounds an issue that “ is far better addressed through encouraging known safety practices, not unproven methods”.

The FCAI supports measures that encourage known ATV safety practices such as wearing helmets, and in a media release on July 9 cites results of a University of NSW workplace survey using ATVs with and without crush protection devices (CPDs). Overall, current aftermarket CPDs resulted in a significant increase in serious injuries.

The FCAI believes ATV users taking advantage of the rebates will unwittingly believe they are fitting a device which will provide a safety improvement – and then by extension they may abandon the most effective safety device on ATVs, which is wearing a helmet.

The FCAI continues to call on state governments and their workplace health and safety agencies to “engage in real solutions however difficult they may be to implement”.