TAC reckons speed is not the only cause!!! - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

928GTS · 07-09-2003, 01:59

I just came across another press release from earlier this month. It is rather fascinating to see one government authority -TAC (which has been advertising speed kills!) is suing local councils for the part that they have contributed in casualty crashes! There are 300 cases of which the local councils are involved in - the scope and desperation that the Bracks Government are using to prop up the TAC which has been losing money- at a time when the Government is claiming huge reductions in casualty crashes is breathtaking. It also highlights the dishonesty of the Bracks Govt in it's safety campaign and total reliance on the speed/drink driving/fatigue triumvirate to bludgeon motorists with more traffic cameras.

Clearly this press release does highlight there are other causes and that the authorities have to take responsibility for the environment they provide the road users.

Things are just getting loonier by the day down here in Mexico.

So Bracksy- Give yerself a BIG UPPER CUT!!!!!!!!!!

Source of Press Release

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vic-politics/message/1558

From: robert.clark@parliament.vic.gov.au
Date: Sat Jul 5, 2003 4:03 am
Subject: TAC TAKES ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CASH GRAB

Wednesday, 2nd July, 2003

TAC TAKES ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN CASH GRAB
Liberal Spokesperson for Local Government - John Vogels

The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) has heightened its grab for cash on behalf of the cash-strapped Bracks Government, stepping up their push to recover compensation from Local Government for accidents that have occurred on Council roads.

After recording two successive multi-million losses and pushing up third
party insurance premiums twice in three years, the TAC has now resorted to seek to rip money out of local governments.

This is a situation of Govt suing Govt suing Govt where the only losers are Victorian taxpayers.

At a recent Local Government Forum, Councils were told that approximately 300 writs had been registered in the Victorian courts for issuing against Councils.

The TAC Law Unit is now focused on recovering costs from public authorities with Local Government as the main target. This has happened in the past, but it was very rare - only a handful of cases a year.

The TAC's methods are very aggressive and they are using FOI in an attempt to gather information prior to issuing a Writ against the relevant council.

By arguing that inadequate signage, loose gravel, pot holes and so on,
were contributing factors in accidents, the TAC are effectively cost-shifting onto local government.

As Local Government is responsible for ratepayers' money, legal costs act as a deterrent in defending a case which could cost tens of thousands of dollars. In most cases, Councils are forced to yield.

Whatever the outcome, ratepayers bear the brunt, either through increased insurance premiums, legal fees and/or the compensation payout.

Many Councils are understandably concerned about this cash grab by the TAC, where ratepayers again will ultimately pay the price.

aquahead2001 · 07-09-2003, 03:01

Isn't it simple? Doesn't someone counter sue the TAC over it's misdirection of Billions of dollars worth of Tax Payer's money into campaigns that haven't worked, when they should have been dishing the money out to fix the signage and pot holes etc?????????

I'm looking forward to the day when they start using State Transport Ministers to as pot hole fill. I personally wouldn't mind testing the repairs after the crew has finished!

paull · 07-09-2003, 03:37

Does it only have to be transport ministers? Can we also put in the rest of the pollies as well?

Bearman · 07-09-2003, 04:01

It's an ever more litigatious society in which we live!! It's ludicrous when you have gov't departments suing each other. Not so long ago the TAC was very profitable, as was the state gov't. A large number of councils are in $ trouble as well.

Where did the money go??

We all lose in every way. We will cop increased third party insurance charges, council rates are already going through the roof on the back of increased property values and we will still have the hand of the Bracks gov't grasping for our wallets.

We're in for a rough time!!

bossxr8 · 07-09-2003, 04:05

Time for all us Victorians to band together and vote Steve Bracks out at the next election.

Bearman · 07-09-2003, 04:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by bossxr8

Time for all us Victorians to band together and vote Steve Bracks out at the next election.

Damn right!! I never voted for him at any time. Pity we have to put up with 3 more years of this shit before we can get rid of him.

928GTS · 07-09-2003, 04:38

We may get a shot at the bastards sooner than we think!
There is nothing stopping them from going early - even though there is legislation in place for 4 year terms. Bracks has been known to break a promise or two!

The issue of how safety, road management, camera enforcement and economic management will be BIG election issues.

Wonder how long it will be before the TAC goes after some of the traffic engineers and VicRoads for the way they manage traffic signals? It has become very apparent that some of the intersections around the state have less than recommended amber cycles and very short or even non existent all red sequences!

Snake8 · 07-09-2003, 04:42

Love him or hate him, Jeff Kennett left $6 Billion in the bank when he was voted out. Bracks now has to resort to speeding fines to top up the budget. Tells you a lot about the Labour method of money management when it appears there has been no improvement in services as a result of this big windfall for them and they are slowly going broke.

MADXF · 07-09-2003, 04:52

Surely being a democratic society we could be able to get a petition/protest going and kick up enough of a stink to get him out of there. I always thought labor was the way, but since I have had to be subjected to it, I have changed my mind....10 fold!

I'm up for a riot or 2 :s6:

EFFalcon · 07-09-2003, 04:52

rediculous, Geoff polites for president