25 Oct 21 | By pp-admin | Advocacy, Cycle safety, Pedal Power
When questions put to our elected officials are ignored, is there genuine accountability within our system?
A Pedal Power member recently shared this email exchange with ACT Police Minister Mick Gentleman MLA. The member raised concerns about safety while riding on Canberra roads, and asked clear and reasonable questions about how effectively our laws are being enforced.
The Minister provided none of the data requested and gave a bureaucratic and evasive response:
“Canberrans should feel confident to comfortably share the roads with motorists, without fear for their safety,” he begins. “ACT Policing makes every effort to enforce the road rules, however, ultimately compliance with the law is a shared responsibility amongst our community”.
What does this even mean?
We understand there are evidentiary thresholds that need to be met. We also appreciate that there may not be specific flags, or categories, which are applied to police data in order to make some information readily retrievable. We do however believe that simple and easily quantifiable questions relating to how many fines are issued, should be plainly answered.
The original email and the minister’s response are contained in full via the link below. Let us know if you think the minister demonstrates transparency and accountability.