Policy Pathways: A Stakeholder and Media Analysis of the Australian Road Safety Policymaking Process Reece Hinchcliff

Presentation Schedule 1.Rationale 2.Background 3.Aims 4.Stakeholder analysis 5.Media analysis 6.Current progress

Rationale  To analyze how road safety research is transformed into policy within Australia

Why introduce the restrictions?  Australia’s road toll reductions are stalling  Young drivers are still vastly overrepresented  Night-time and peer-passenger restrictions are effective overseas

Why not?  Effectiveness overseas difficult to evaluate  Potential effectiveness in Australia difficult to estimate  Social equity issues

Current Australian night-time and peer-passenger policies  WA: Total night-time restrictions soon to be introduced for first six months of solo licensure  NSW and QLD: Peer passenger restrictions between 11pm and 5am for first six months of solo licensure

Aims 1.To analyse the debate and policymaking processes surrounding the introduction of some form of the restrictions in NSW, QLD and WA 2.To evaluate the main factors involved 3.To develop potential strategies to improve these processes

Study Design 1.Literature review 2.Stakeholder analysis 3.Media analysis

Stakeholder analysis  Ten minute interviews with key stakeholders in each state  Wide cross-section of relevant stakeholders  Over 85% response rate

Interview schedule Four sections: 1.Critical analysis of overall system 2.Focus on debate over the restrictions 3.Role of the media on the process 4.Role of research on the process

Media analysis Three sections: 1.How did the media report on the restrictions? 2.Were print and television reports different? 3.What was the media’s impact on the eventual policy decisions?

Current progress 1.Literature review complete 2.Drafts of literature review and methods sections complete 3.Data collection and categorisation complete

Acknowledgements  Primary supervisor: Dr Rebecca Ivers The George Institute for International Health  Associate Supervisors: Professor Simon Chapman The University of Sydney Dr Roslyn Poulos The University of New South Wales

Acknowledgements  Funding NRMA-ACT Road Safety Trust The University of Sydney