Mob Rules: Doing road safety business in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (Woorabinda case study)

1. Mob Rules: Doing road safety business in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (Woorabinda case study) Colin Edmonston & Kylie Major-Oakley National Indigenous Road Safety Forum November, 2010

2. Acknowledgements • Traditional Owners, Elders, Councillors and communities of Central Queensland, in particular Woorabinda • Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport • Centre for Accident Research & Road Safety – Queensland • Department of Transport & Main Roads • Queensland Police Service • Central Queensland Indigenous Development

3. HELLO FROM AUNTY CAROL AT WOORIE

4. About Us … • Small decentralised team • Responsible for road safety delivery In Central and Central West Queensland (34% of the state) Program Delivery … • School transport safety (SCSS = 244 supervisors, SafeST) • Driver Reviver (8 sites + 600 volunteers) • Youth Drive Alive and CHOICES • Road safety and licensing sessions with at-risk groups • SKIPPER Designated Driver Program • Driver fatigue project in the Bowen Basin (mining focus) • Woorabinda Road Safety Trial*

5. Woorabinda Road Safety Trial (1) • Community–Government-University–Industry partnership (part-time Road Safety Officer based in Woorie) • Two primary objectives: • Deliver road safety activities and outcomes for the Woorabinda community in Central region • Establish protocols (guidelines) for the development and delivery of Indigenous road safety programs • Local priorities:licensing (100hrs); restraint use; road safety education in schools; roadworthy vehicles

6. Restraint use • Booster seats and restraints donated to day care centre • Free hire scheme • Information sessions for Mums and staff on laws, safety and fitting requirements • QPS active referral agent • High usage rates

7. Road safety education in schools • Road safety as the theme for art classes in 2010 • Potential to integrate road safety through the newly developed Prep to P9 curriculum • Youth Drive Alive in 2011 • Wadja students referred to licensing sessions (mine placements)

8. Fatality Free Friday • Restraint info sessions (TMR) • Roadworthy session + checks (QPS) • Triage and first-aid info session (QH) • Road safety + licensing session (TMR) • CQID training vehicle demo (CQID) • Competitions, BBQ cooked by QH

9. Licensing – Being a Safe and Legal Driver (L) “Who’s on your right?” “Whether you like them or not, you can’t run them over.” “Signs, lines and lights rule!” “Don’t get T-boned.” “Get about the roundabout.”

10. Inattention Speed Fatigue Unrestrained Alcohol “Fatal 5” – “protect your family/mates”

12. Written tests marked by TMR official and securely stored at CDEP • RSO works with applicant to meet EOI requirements • RSO liaises with applicant and SPER • RSO acts as link between applicant and QPS (local licensing agent)

13. “Ngudyamba Muraga” – “Teach Car” • Supervision offered in the community by accredited CQID trainers (not-for-profit) • Bookings coordinated by CDEP – tracking people through the licensing process • Services offered in urban areas – including theory sessions • Maximising work trips through CDEP (real potential to address 100 hour requirement) • Local police and Driving Examiners test

14. Guidelines for Program Development (1) • Consultation should be ongoing and involve: • Locals as leaders (not listeners) • Adherence to local communication and engagement protocols • Appropriate lead-in and decision-making time • Community profiling (to map resources/opportunities) • Transparency in process (the journey together) • Program objectives should: • Address local priorities • Provide practical, sustainable solutions • Be evidence-based • Focus on people, not politics (who to engage with)

15. Guidelines for Program Development (2) • Program design should: • Link road safety to higher community priorities (eg. employment, mentoring) • Acknowledge “context” and the value of risk minimisation • Balance punitive measures with positive measures • Build in evaluation with realistic expectations • Maximise $$$ spent on delivery vs administration • Clearly define governance and local support structure (Kylie) • Consider all aspects of a ‘safe system’ • Acknowledge ‘awareness’ underpins all behaviour change • Stakeholders need to be: • Competent + Committed • Cooperative/Coordinated – sharing $$$, resources, knowledge and success • Cashed up 

16. Guidelines for Program Delivery (1) • Facilitator is the most valuable resource!!! • Link with local cultural and sporting events • Flexibility to accommodate Murri time or priority changes • Tips for effective education: • Learning by doing and visuals!!! • Group learning (train the trainer) • Interactive, engaging sessions • “Leggo approach” - consistent, repetitive messages • Use of humour + local examples • “Work together, play together” • “Open door policy” • Celebrate small successes

17. What’s next for us? • Continue to tackle the licensing imperative (focus on 100 hour supervision requirement in partnership with CQID and CDEP) – better coordination across the state • Engage community in road safety infrastructure decision-making and delivery (learn from NSW experience) • Ongoing funding for RSO position!!! • Census data collection project – partnership with ABS • SURVEY – Feedback from other jurisdictions on “what works” in program development and delivery (inform guidelines)

19. FROM WOORABINDA TO COFFS HARBOUR … A ROAD SAFETY MESSAGE FOR YOU

21. Questions?