Tamara Smith MP, Member for Ballina announces that she has tabled amendments to the Roads Transport Act 2013.

Ms Smith said, “These amendments are critical, an estimated 10 million animals die on Australian roads each year, it is chilling to think that this staggering figure likely does not capture the full extent of the problem. Many collisions between vehicles and wildlife aren't even reported. It's a silent crisis that demands our urgent attention". 

"The numbers paint a grim picture, but the issue goes beyond just the loss of animal life. When you factor in habitat destruction and climate change, combined with the estimated $7 billion societal cost of road trauma, it's clear we can no longer afford to ignore the consequences of our road systems on our native wildlife". 

"Transport for NSW has a legal obligation under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to consider the environmental impact of their activities. Yet, despite this responsibility, there's no clear legislation in place to ensure that these considerations are actually implemented", Ms Smith said. 

“I’ve spoken to a number of incredible stakeholders who are seeing firsthand, the devastating realities of mitigation that is not fit for purpose, that ticks boxes, but is not currently having the desired effects of reducing vehicle strike. Intrinsic to the impact on wildlife is the impact on volunteers and wildlife vet’s and nurses”. 

"While there’s been some research on various ways to reduce wildlife road strikes, there's still much we don’t know, particularly in terms of what works here in Australia. Take virtual fencing, for example – despite its promise, studies like Christine Connelly’s have shown it's not the solution we were hoping for". 

"There's a lot of excitement about the potential for AI and new technologies to solve this issue, but we need to focus on the basics first: consistent data collection and effective mitigation strategies across the state. Technology alone won’t fix the problem without a solid foundation of understanding and action". 

"The changes I’m advocating for go beyond just coming up with quick fixes. It’s about incorporating wildlife considerations into the planning stages of road design and ensuring that safety for animals is a priority. We need long-term strategies that include regular maintenance and ongoing observation to ensure that our efforts are actually making a difference". 

“Changing driver behaviour and ensuring that mitigation such as underpasses, overpasses and fencing is designed, maintained and observed will help to ensure the best outcomes for our precious native animals, for the dedicated people in wildlife care who are at the coalface and for us as humans using the roadways”, said Ms Smith.