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Kids & Cars - Built Environment Law, Policy & Practise

Kids & Cars - Built Environment Law, Policy & Practise. Craig Filmer Director of Planning, Environment & Strategic Services Young Shire Council. Why am I here today ?. Combination of elements including; “The Incident” The friendship The Community & the Country Way

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Kids & Cars - Built Environment Law, Policy & Practise

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  1. Kids & Cars - Built Environment Law, Policy & Practise Craig Filmer Director of Planning, Environment & Strategic Services Young Shire Council

  2. Why am I here today ? Combination of elements including; • “The Incident” • The friendship • The Community & the Country Way • Expecting more from our laws • People striving to make a difference

  3. Why am I here today ? .. The Incident • Peter (Home Builder & Master Builder) • Emma (Home Builder & School Teacher) • Family of Peter, Emma & 4 Girls …. • New Home – built to needs, compliant …. • One moment in time, presumption of safety • Disaster !! The world lost an angel that evening, Georgina Josephine Cockburn

  4. Why am I here today ? ... The Friendship & the Country Way • Despite National Media • Despite opinions & judgemental people • The Cockburn's started something • If it can happen to them, then ….. ? • Friends rallied, the community gathered • Young supports making a difference

  5. Why am I here today ? …. Expecting More From Our Laws • Why should there be kids & cars conflicts • Safety in Homes, Cars and Attitudes isn't high • We expect more from Pool Laws than this • Homes can be Safer • Cars can be Safer • Attitudes to Safety can be lifted even higher

  6. Long-term goals A Raised Level of Consciousness in : • Residential Buildings - safer by design • Residential construction laws to reinforce • Cars to have reversing measures (stops etc) • More & raised awareness programs • Parental concerns being everpresent

  7. Hard & Horrible Facts Did you know the numbers are significant: • No real national inventory of statistics • 23 Low Speed Rollovers (LSR's) reported in media – eastern seaboard only 2011 • QLD average 3 per week & 4 deaths/yr • Victoria = 14 deaths & 81 long term injuries from LSR's in last 10 years • Debatably 2nd only to Swimming Pool deaths for kids under 15

  8. The Foundation Peter & Emma desired to make Georgie's Life mean something, so: • An overarching Board was formed and a Foundation established (GJF) • The Board is working to make a difference in Homes, Cars & Attitudes • Peter & Emma are the strong ambassadors – despite grief doing media, car shows etc • They need support – www.gjfoundation.com.au

  9. Why YSC ?, Why Me ? In the 3 prongs of the Foundation's Goals (Built, Cars & Attitudes), getting laws & Policies changed is critical. • Need NSW or Federal lawmakers to notice • Need Local Council support • Need someone “inside” the system • Needed a friend that understood the issues • I come as that person – a proud conflict

  10. Why YSC ?, Why Me ? • Cont... • The aim was now to climb the legislative tree from the other direction • The Cockburn's approached Young Shire Council – no brainer, support given • “We” prepared Building Code change, we lobbied ABCB, HIA, MBA, Ministers, Members • To date, Policy change at a local level, only • The Plan of attack continues ...

  11. The Legislative Jungle .. • Building Laws are State based, Local Government is State based, Building Laws are enforced locally • Since 1965 the forebears of the Council of Aust Govts (CoAG) have tried for a Model Building Code. This became the Model Code, in turn the BCA (Building Code of Australia) and now the NCC or National Construction Code • All states enable the BCA as the one system of compliance, for building • The enabling legislation in NSW is the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act.

  12. The Legislative Jungle .. Right now, there exists NO : • Legislation; nor • document of reference; nor • Standards that separates kids, or enshrines their safety from cars, in the home.

  13. The Legislative Jungle ... Where do we start in all this red tape ??

  14. Where to make a difference • We need a cultural or habit change • Good intentions do not change habits • Laws and enforcement of them, do change habits • Time with laws in place, make habits into “norms” and instincts • Instincts becoming norms, saves lives !!

  15. How to make a difference • We needed to get to lawmakers • We thought – lets start at the top and make the biggest difference • We went to everyone at lower levels and told them we were going to climb the ABCB mountain • All our supporters at local level and association level gave support …...

  16. So ….. Plan of attack ? • We went to Council – full support • We went to the Housing Industry Association – supportive in principle • We went to the Master Builder's Association – supportive in principle • We went to Aust Door Hardware Assoc – full support • We went to ABCB (Aust Building Codes Board – BCA/NCC Custodians) – We got empathy and a red flag – too costly an impact on the std house ???? • Too costly ??

  17. Plan of attack …. mk 2 • The GJF Board could have been crushed • But – general support and opinion was that we were right • Trickle down from top legislatively did not work SO • We believed it was time to work from the bottom up • Full support from YSC – lets start there ! • Council supported, and proposed Policy change ..

  18. Starting a Movement • At local level – DCP & Policy change is to a degreeless beaurecratic and red tape-ish • Local change is achievable • Builders at Trade Nights supportive, along with HIA & MBA support regionally and at State level • Locally the timing was right – new LEP, DCP review slated • All NSW Council's under similar review as we speak – 152 LEP's and 152 DCP's being drafted, checked and worked on as we speak

  19. How Hard is the Change ? The Policy change proposed is simple • Treat car parking areas like we treat swimming pools In simpler terms • Locate car parking areas appropriately • Separate the areas with the right doors, swing directions & fittings • If other fittings utilised ensure they are independently redundant

  20. Explained more ... • Preferably do not have internal connections from house to garage • If you do have a connection – swing the door outward of the garage (if kids push on it, it closes toward danger) • If you do have a connection put the door latch at 1.5m above floor level • If you do have a connection put a quality self closing device on it • Controlla Door and Internal door magnetic isolaters do exist – think about using them as well.

  21. Location, Location …. Source: kidsafeqld.com.au

  22. The Door …. • Simple but effective changes • Possibly $200 extra • < 0.07 % of cost of a new house • Can we afford not to do it ?

  23. Where are we now • Young Shire Council has its DCP Review and draft clauses for driveway safety on exhibition, closing today • Visit us at www.young.nsw.gov.au look in news • When we get it changed, YSC will carpet bomb Directors of Planning, General Managers and Mayors at all 152 NSW Council's via email • The next wave will be all Australian Council's • The Foundation can then take this to Ministers at State & Federal levels • Then in time, the ABCB pitch can recur

  24. The DCP Performance Outcome Simply stated but effective

  25. The DCP Actual Controls Again simply stated – details in a BCA style DTS – Deemed To Satisfy clause - see cl 2.1.5 of the Young DCP review – swap to PDF of 2.1.5

  26. So – Its your turn If you can take something out of today, then take and do the following • Construction alone will not save kids, people do • Safer construction helps take the chances closer to zero • Simple measures that are cheap and effective WILL make a difference • Lobby your Council in a month or two's time – did you get the email from Young Shire on Georgie's Law ? • Lobby your local Member about Georgie's Law

  27. Georgie's Law • Kids and Cars do not mix !! • Cars and Houses can be made safer for kids • Parents need positive reinforcement in their busy lives • Never think it cannot happen to me, it can !! • It is happening far too often, not to act • Help the movement – ask questions of your Council and Regulators at higher levels • Is $200 per house that big an impost for CoAG and ABCB NOT to act ??

  28. Give your support Give your support to the/our cause • Get the right laws in place • Help support the work of the Georgina Josephine Foundation, become a friend atwww.gjfoundation.com.au • Look, listen and act when you hear the work of Kidsafe and other hard working groups that are trying to bring to our attention the suffering of many, to save the lives of more.

  29. The work continues What Next for the GJF Board, and Emma & Peter • Built Environment (this talk) • Vehicle Safety through cameras, reverse alerts and stopping sensors • Awareness stimulation at all levels Stop and have a chat with us, hit our web site, make a donation, ask questions, stop, look, look again …...

  30. PLEASE …. Take nothing in your life for granted … Agitate for change – make a difference

  31. Thank You Questions ?

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