I have been thinking about the large number of police that have decended on te Territory. It is quite possible that one of the side benifits of this might be a lower road toll. This in itself would be a good thing. But, there is no doubt that Clare will try and take credit for this.
If there are large numbers of police in and around communities cutting off the grog into these areas, then we could extrapolate that into less drunk Aboriginals on the roads. This alone would be a positive factor that has a bearing on the road toll.
But we must NOT let Clare take ANY credit if the road toll does come down. But we should point out how this has high-lighted the REAL factors causing deaths on our highways. It would confirm what has been quoted in this and other forums since that dark January when Clare pushed our (//) into history.
Mate, we are already on it. I am the one doing most of the research for KeepNTLimitFree and I can assure you that if there is a big difference in aboriginal deaths this year I will make sure Clare takes no credit.
What I might have to do at the end of the year is get a breakdown on indigenous deaths pre and post the arrival of the Feds in the NT and see if there is a noticeable change.
From what I see lately though, they may have trouble banning alcohol in the communities so the Feds may have no effect at all.
I can reassure you and everybody else is the fact that excessive speeding on the open roads in the NT has never been a problem. Therefore, the only possible explanation for introducing a 130kmh speed limit on the open sealed highways is revenue raising.
All the statistics for the NT are damning for everything EXCEPT speed. The national average for fatalities involving alcohol 20%, NT 48-50%; national average where a seatbelt not worn just under 30%, NT 51%; single vehicle rollovers and run off road, national average around 25%, NT 54%.
There is no dispute that the NT road toll is 3 times the national average on a per capita basis. But, the NT also has between three (3) and six (6) times the national average when it comes to MURDER, attempted murder, ASSAULT, sexual assault and rape.
But, there's no money to be made by cleaning up the crime. In fact I suppose when you think about it, IF THEY CLEANED UP CRIME IT WOULD COST MONEY - more court costs, legals, police and of course more people in jail.
Motorists are an easy target. Book 'em and rake in the filty lucre