August 17, 2024 • 11 mins
The Government has announced $1.3 billion of funding for a new Road Policing Investment Programme (RPIP) to improve road safety over the next three years.
The funding will be targeted at drunk and drugged drivers, increasing roadside testing and focusing on high-risk times and locations.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown joins Tim Beveridge on The Weekend Collective to discuss the new funding.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
So we're going to be speaking soon with Bryce Edwards,
who's political commentator from Victoria University, just around the transparency
and whether we need to overhaul our complacency when it
comes to corruption and the perception of corruption. Excuse me,
she hasn't gone away, but right now anyway, the government
(00:31):
First up, The government has recently announced a new one
point three billion dollar investment program which is targeting drunk
and drug drivers drugged should I say drivers to improve
road safety. They're increasing alcohol breath tests, focusing on high
risk times and location, and giving police what's described as
performance based funding to help tackle crashes caused by drugs
(00:53):
and alcohol. And Transport Minister Simeon Brown is with me now, Simeon,
good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Good afternoon, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
So just paint us a picture. What is the problem
that we're addressing here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Well, what we're focusing here is on improving safety on
our roads so the New Zealanders can get with any
to go quickly in safety safely. And this is the
partnership between the New Zealand Transport Agency and police. The
New Zealand Transport Agency funds police to undertake a number
of road safety areas, which includes tackling and enforcing the
(01:25):
law and making sure that people aren't driving drugs, drunk
or excessive speed. So these are some of the key
areas that we're focusing police's time and effort on. And
this is all funded through the National Land Transport Funds.
So it's new Zealand is funding road policing to keep
our road safe.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
What has the trend been in terms of the stats?
Is it sort of worse or getting better or about
the same, Because I did see that in twenty sixteen
it looked like thirty three percent of crashes involved alcohol
and in twenty betweeny two it's forty eight point four.
But that does bounce around, of it, doesn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
It does well? I mean, I guess the key points
here is there's been a significant number of people who've
been in terms of fatality that has been drugged driving.
They're about thirty percent of crashes of thirty percent of
fatalities between twenty nineteen and twenty twenty two were involving
drivers who had consumed impairing drugs prior to driving. Alcohol
(02:23):
is a contributing factor in thirteen percent of road tests
and serious in genes from twenty twelve to twenty twenty three.
So these are significant causes of fatal accidents on our roads.
And this is why this government is cracking down on
drug drivers and drunk drivers, because we want to improve
road safety and we want to focus from those areas
where we know they are the biggest causes. And so
(02:46):
that's why this program is so focused on drug drivers
and drunk drivers.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Just to understand the mechanics of it, So you're talking
about a target of three point three million roadside alcohol
breath test. In terms of the mechanics of what you
mean by a breath test, do you mean that moment
where you wind down your window and the officer holds
the device and says count to ten please, or is
it that's a fail? Now we're off to an evidential
breath test. Which one are we talking about?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
It's the first one. So this is three point three
million breath tests. Drivers being stopped by police and having
the breathalyzer and being usked to speak into the breathalyzer.
That's what we're talking about here, and what we've seen
in the last ten years is we've seen a very
inconsistent number of breath tests. In fact, it's been below
one point five million in recent years. And what we
(03:36):
know is that it has a clear deterrent effect on
our roads, which drives road safety objectives. So the higher
those test levels, the more focus they are on high
risk times and locations, the more we're able to deter
those risky behaviors on our roads where people do drink
and then drive. And so not only are we putting
a new target in place of three point three million
(03:57):
breath tests, but we're also going to be requiring police
to undertake a minimum of sixty five percent of those
tests during high risk times and locations to ensure that
they're actually focusing on the areas where it will have
the greatest impact. It's not just good enough for a
target in place. You've got to make sure it's focused
to ensure we're actually achieved the outcomes which are evidence
(04:18):
based and which will drive safer roads for all New Zealanders.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
What is performance based funding.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Well, what we've seen in the last ten years again
is an inconsistent number of breast tests for being performed,
in some years well below what the target has been
and so what we're saying here is we're going to
be holding the New Zealand Transport Agency will be holding
back a smaller portion of the funding each year, which
will be released too then released two police based upon
them actually performing the target and actually achieving it. And
(04:48):
so what we're saying is the government invests significantly in
road policing outcomes and safety on our roads through the
work the police do. We'll be holding a portion back
to actually say the police, we want you to actually
achieve that outcome and that target on a consistent level.
It's been far too inconsistent in recent years, far too
a long way below what the target should be. We
want to improve that result. We want it to be
(05:09):
consistently achieved by police because we know it drives safety
outcomes on our roads.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Is this announcement and I don't mean it might come
out cynically, but it's not meant to be. Is this
announcement more about visibility and the prevalence of screening rather
than say the consequences of being caught.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Well, it's about both. I mean, ultimately, in order to
enforce the law, you need to actually find those people
who are breaking it. And so yes, there is a
deterrent effect by having police on the beat present on
our roads at those high risk locations. That has a
deterrent effect. But also if someone is caught over the
(05:49):
limit or impaired, they will face consequences and there are
very clear consequences under the law. So it's about doing
both to ensure we actually drive those safety outcomes that
we need on our roads.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
How does the drug testing work? Obviously there's new technology,
how people going to be screened for being under the
influence of drugs? And then how does the test work?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So the legislation on that is currently before a FELCT
committee which is considering it. That is hopefully going to
be passed shortly. Police then need to go through a
procurement a procurement process in order to identify the test
and to then procure one. Then they'll roll it out.
(06:31):
I mean, if you look at what they do in Australia,
what they do is a swab of your saliva within
your mouth, They put it into a little cat and
that then identifies where the drugs are present to a
certain standard. So that's what we expect will be implemented
here in New Zealand And as I said, legislations currently
before the parliament, so we can now we can roll
(06:51):
that out and actually roll it out successfully. The last
government passed legislation, but it required those tests to be
an evidentiary standard, whereas most countries using this from a
screening perspective, knowing that the tests aren't one hundred percent accurate,
but it will have a checks and balance is in place,
such as ensuring that you have with two positive tests
to actually be fined. You can't just have one for
(07:12):
two and then evidentary sample also has to be taken
following that. So we've got checks and balances in place.
But again it'sout sending the message if you're driving drugged
or drunk on our roads, the police are going to
be resourced to screen for it and then hold people
to account for those dangerous behaviors which cause far too
(07:33):
many deaths on our roads each year.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Just quickly. Because the screening for alcohols straightforward, it's just
count to ten, right, thanks, very good much, enjoy your evening,
whereas the testing for drugs is still you're going to
have to sort of identify, have a reasonable idea about
who you're going to use that test on. Aren't you
because it is more time intensitive, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
It is more time intensive. What we've seid is in
the first year that we start testing for drugs, once
the tests are procured, will be requiring place to a
minimum fifty thousand then, and I think that recognizes that
it will take time to build that number over time.
But that's also where the Victorian state government around the
same number where they started when they first brought that
(08:12):
in place, and also recognizing it recognize it does take
a longer period of time for those tests to actually
be done. But again, it's giving the police the tools
they need in the toolbox so they can deter those
dangerous behaviors which are causing far too many deaths on
our roads.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, I guess that's something for the police to develop
on who they're going to actually give that test to.
What about the younger people, because the stats show that
younger people are at massive risk if they've got our
cohol of how do you actually target younger people as
opposed to just more broadly.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Well, that's why as part of these targets, the sixty
five percent or a minimum sixty five percent of those
alcohol breath tests need to be done in high risk
locations and times, and so that the police will operationalize
that to identify where those you know, the times of
the day or the locations where people are more likely
to be driving with alcohol in their system, and they'll
(09:04):
be able to tag based upon that. They'll also obviously
be undertaking our general deterrence to assure that there's more
presence of police on the roads to drive those safety
outcomes that New Zealanders expect.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Excellent, just lucky. Last question. A lot of the time
in the talkback world, there's a lot of discussion around
penalties for texting and distracted driving, of that's one of
your goals to address that is one of the risks
to people on the roads. If you got any plans
in terms of upping the penalties for distracted driving and
particularly mobile phone use, well, what we've.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Seen in our government policies adminal transporters that are reviewing
the penalties for these types of behaviors as something that
we will be looking at. So that's something we've identified
as part of the work program. There's more work that
needs to be done on that, but it's certainly something
that we will be taking a look at.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Excellent. Hey, thanks very much for your time this afternoon, Sime,
and really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
There we go. That's a Ministry of Transport, Simi and Brown.
We take some talk on this as well O eight
one hundred and eighty ten and eighty after our next
interview as to actually, you know, the simple question is
do you support what the government is doing with the
increased number of roadside alcohol breath tests and also drug testing.
I think the biggest challenge they've got is screening who
they're going to give that drugged test to. Like, I
(10:17):
don't know what the question would be. How many colors
are there in a rainbow? Sir ah, lots? Okay, just
come over here please. I say that lightheartedly. But here's
another simple question for you. And it's great that they're
targeting alcohol. And if you look at the stats and
the way that the number of people number of accidents
involve alcohol, it is frightening. I think in twenty tweeny
two is over forty percent. But to me, I'd be
(10:41):
honest with you, the biggest fear I have for my
family is the next bit of work they're going to do,
which is around people on their blimen cell phone. What
is the biggest threat do you think on our roads?
For you, the stats don't look good for alcohol, but
from a day to day point of view, just wandering
around during the daytime, what do you think the biggest
risk is to motorists and should I say pedestrians.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talk zed be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
So we're going to be speaking soon with Bryce Edwards,
who's political commentator from Victoria University, just around the transparency
and whether we need to overhaul our complacency when it
comes to corruption and the perception of corruption. Excuse me,
she hasn't gone away, but right now anyway, the government
(00:31):
First up, The government has recently announced a new one
point three billion dollar investment program which is targeting drunk
and drug drivers drugged should I say drivers to improve
road safety. They're increasing alcohol breath tests, focusing on high
risk times and location, and giving police what's described as
performance based funding to help tackle crashes caused by drugs
(00:53):
and alcohol. And Transport Minister Simeon Brown is with me now, Simeon,
good afternoon.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Good afternoon, How are you good?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
So just paint us a picture. What is the problem
that we're addressing here.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Well, what we're focusing here is on improving safety on
our roads so the New Zealanders can get with any
to go quickly in safety safely. And this is the
partnership between the New Zealand Transport Agency and police. The
New Zealand Transport Agency funds police to undertake a number
of road safety areas, which includes tackling and enforcing the
(01:25):
law and making sure that people aren't driving drugs, drunk
or excessive speed. So these are some of the key
areas that we're focusing police's time and effort on. And
this is all funded through the National Land Transport Funds.
So it's new Zealand is funding road policing to keep
our road safe.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
What has the trend been in terms of the stats?
Is it sort of worse or getting better or about
the same, Because I did see that in twenty sixteen
it looked like thirty three percent of crashes involved alcohol
and in twenty betweeny two it's forty eight point four.
But that does bounce around, of it, doesn't it?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
It does well? I mean, I guess the key points
here is there's been a significant number of people who've
been in terms of fatality that has been drugged driving.
They're about thirty percent of crashes of thirty percent of
fatalities between twenty nineteen and twenty twenty two were involving
drivers who had consumed impairing drugs prior to driving. Alcohol
(02:23):
is a contributing factor in thirteen percent of road tests
and serious in genes from twenty twelve to twenty twenty three.
So these are significant causes of fatal accidents on our roads.
And this is why this government is cracking down on
drug drivers and drunk drivers, because we want to improve
road safety and we want to focus from those areas
where we know they are the biggest causes. And so
(02:46):
that's why this program is so focused on drug drivers
and drunk drivers.
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Just to understand the mechanics of it, So you're talking
about a target of three point three million roadside alcohol
breath test. In terms of the mechanics of what you
mean by a breath test, do you mean that moment
where you wind down your window and the officer holds
the device and says count to ten please, or is
it that's a fail? Now we're off to an evidential
breath test. Which one are we talking about?
Speaker 3 (03:12):
It's the first one. So this is three point three
million breath tests. Drivers being stopped by police and having
the breathalyzer and being usked to speak into the breathalyzer.
That's what we're talking about here, and what we've seen
in the last ten years is we've seen a very
inconsistent number of breath tests. In fact, it's been below
one point five million in recent years. And what we
(03:36):
know is that it has a clear deterrent effect on
our roads, which drives road safety objectives. So the higher
those test levels, the more focus they are on high
risk times and locations, the more we're able to deter
those risky behaviors on our roads where people do drink
and then drive. And so not only are we putting
a new target in place of three point three million
(03:57):
breath tests, but we're also going to be requiring police
to undertake a minimum of sixty five percent of those
tests during high risk times and locations to ensure that
they're actually focusing on the areas where it will have
the greatest impact. It's not just good enough for a
target in place. You've got to make sure it's focused
to ensure we're actually achieved the outcomes which are evidence
(04:18):
based and which will drive safer roads for all New Zealanders.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
What is performance based funding.
Speaker 3 (04:25):
Well, what we've seen in the last ten years again
is an inconsistent number of breast tests for being performed,
in some years well below what the target has been
and so what we're saying here is we're going to
be holding the New Zealand Transport Agency will be holding
back a smaller portion of the funding each year, which
will be released too then released two police based upon
them actually performing the target and actually achieving it. And
(04:48):
so what we're saying is the government invests significantly in
road policing outcomes and safety on our roads through the
work the police do. We'll be holding a portion back
to actually say the police, we want you to actually
achieve that outcome and that target on a consistent level.
It's been far too inconsistent in recent years, far too
a long way below what the target should be. We
want to improve that result. We want it to be
(05:09):
consistently achieved by police because we know it drives safety
outcomes on our roads.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Is this announcement and I don't mean it might come
out cynically, but it's not meant to be. Is this
announcement more about visibility and the prevalence of screening rather
than say the consequences of being caught.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Well, it's about both. I mean, ultimately, in order to
enforce the law, you need to actually find those people
who are breaking it. And so yes, there is a
deterrent effect by having police on the beat present on
our roads at those high risk locations. That has a
deterrent effect. But also if someone is caught over the
(05:49):
limit or impaired, they will face consequences and there are
very clear consequences under the law. So it's about doing
both to ensure we actually drive those safety outcomes that
we need on our roads.
Speaker 2 (06:01):
How does the drug testing work? Obviously there's new technology,
how people going to be screened for being under the
influence of drugs? And then how does the test work?
Speaker 3 (06:10):
So the legislation on that is currently before a FELCT
committee which is considering it. That is hopefully going to
be passed shortly. Police then need to go through a
procurement a procurement process in order to identify the test
and to then procure one. Then they'll roll it out.
(06:31):
I mean, if you look at what they do in Australia,
what they do is a swab of your saliva within
your mouth, They put it into a little cat and
that then identifies where the drugs are present to a
certain standard. So that's what we expect will be implemented
here in New Zealand And as I said, legislations currently
before the parliament, so we can now we can roll
(06:51):
that out and actually roll it out successfully. The last
government passed legislation, but it required those tests to be
an evidentiary standard, whereas most countries using this from a
screening perspective, knowing that the tests aren't one hundred percent accurate,
but it will have a checks and balance is in place,
such as ensuring that you have with two positive tests
to actually be fined. You can't just have one for
(07:12):
two and then evidentary sample also has to be taken
following that. So we've got checks and balances in place.
But again it'sout sending the message if you're driving drugged
or drunk on our roads, the police are going to
be resourced to screen for it and then hold people
to account for those dangerous behaviors which cause far too
(07:33):
many deaths on our roads each year.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Just quickly. Because the screening for alcohols straightforward, it's just
count to ten, right, thanks, very good much, enjoy your evening,
whereas the testing for drugs is still you're going to
have to sort of identify, have a reasonable idea about
who you're going to use that test on. Aren't you
because it is more time intensitive, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
It is more time intensive. What we've seid is in
the first year that we start testing for drugs, once
the tests are procured, will be requiring place to a
minimum fifty thousand then, and I think that recognizes that
it will take time to build that number over time.
But that's also where the Victorian state government around the
same number where they started when they first brought that
(08:12):
in place, and also recognizing it recognize it does take
a longer period of time for those tests to actually
be done. But again, it's giving the police the tools
they need in the toolbox so they can deter those
dangerous behaviors which are causing far too many deaths on
our roads.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Yeah, I guess that's something for the police to develop
on who they're going to actually give that test to.
What about the younger people, because the stats show that
younger people are at massive risk if they've got our
cohol of how do you actually target younger people as
opposed to just more broadly.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Well, that's why as part of these targets, the sixty
five percent or a minimum sixty five percent of those
alcohol breath tests need to be done in high risk
locations and times, and so that the police will operationalize
that to identify where those you know, the times of
the day or the locations where people are more likely
to be driving with alcohol in their system, and they'll
(09:04):
be able to tag based upon that. They'll also obviously
be undertaking our general deterrence to assure that there's more
presence of police on the roads to drive those safety
outcomes that New Zealanders expect.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
Excellent, just lucky. Last question. A lot of the time
in the talkback world, there's a lot of discussion around
penalties for texting and distracted driving, of that's one of
your goals to address that is one of the risks
to people on the roads. If you got any plans
in terms of upping the penalties for distracted driving and
particularly mobile phone use, well, what we've.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Seen in our government policies adminal transporters that are reviewing
the penalties for these types of behaviors as something that
we will be looking at. So that's something we've identified
as part of the work program. There's more work that
needs to be done on that, but it's certainly something
that we will be taking a look at.
Speaker 2 (09:51):
Excellent. Hey, thanks very much for your time this afternoon, Sime,
and really appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
There we go. That's a Ministry of Transport, Simi and Brown.
We take some talk on this as well O eight
one hundred and eighty ten and eighty after our next
interview as to actually, you know, the simple question is
do you support what the government is doing with the
increased number of roadside alcohol breath tests and also drug testing.
I think the biggest challenge they've got is screening who
they're going to give that drugged test to. Like, I
(10:17):
don't know what the question would be. How many colors
are there in a rainbow? Sir ah, lots? Okay, just
come over here please. I say that lightheartedly. But here's
another simple question for you. And it's great that they're
targeting alcohol. And if you look at the stats and
the way that the number of people number of accidents
involve alcohol, it is frightening. I think in twenty tweeny
two is over forty percent. But to me, I'd be
(10:41):
honest with you, the biggest fear I have for my
family is the next bit of work they're going to do,
which is around people on their blimen cell phone. What
is the biggest threat do you think on our roads?
For you, the stats don't look good for alcohol, but
from a day to day point of view, just wandering
around during the daytime, what do you think the biggest
risk is to motorists and should I say pedestrians.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to News
Talk zed be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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