Hon Mark Gosche
June 25 2001 Speech Notes

"Children, Our Future" road safety video

Kia ora koutou, talofa lava and greetings to you all.

Greetings in particular to my parliamentary colleagues, Luamanuvao Winnie Laban and Graham Kelly; to Her Worship, Jenny Brash, Mayor of Porirua; Superintendent John Kelly, District Commander, NZ Police; and David Wright, Chief Executive Officer, Land Transport Safety Authority.

I am very pleased to be here today. Our Children, Our Future is a project that combines two subjects close to my heart – road safety and community empowerment.

Our Children, Our Future is the first Pacific road safety video ever made by the Pacific community, for the Pacific community. It grew out of a need identified by Porirua’s language nests for a resource which would capture the attention of people caring for Pacific children, and act as a catalyst for discussion of important child road safety issues.

The video contains three stories, set around a Porirua Pacific family. It highlights the dangers our children can face as pedestrians (a major issue in Porirua), when they are travelling unrestrained in vehicles, and when playing near roads. Most importantly, it recognises that keeping kids safe on the roads isn’t just up to kids themselves - it is a family and community responsibility.

Because the safety of children is important for all Pacific cultures, seven versions of Our Children, Our Future have been made - a Samoan version, an English version, and five further versions with key written messages in Fijian, Niuean, Tongan, Tokelauan and Cook Islands Maori. A flip chart has also been developed for use with the video.

Successful community projects often rely on the ability to create strong partnerships. For Our Children, Our Future, partnerships have been developed with Porirua City Council, and the Pacific People’s Health programme of Regional Public Health. Practical support has also come from the Whitireia Polytechnic Film & Television Course, and from talented local volunteers who gave freely of their time to act in the film – including, I am told, four very hot days last summer.

Funding for the video came from the Land Transport Safety Authority’s Community Road Safety Programme, using monies this government made available last year to enable more road safety projects to be undertaken within Maori and Pacific communities.

Later this year, government plans to release a national road safety strategy. Our aim is to significantly reduce New Zealand’s road toll by 2010. Within that strategy will be a continuing commitment to empowering communities like yours to take responsibility for their road safety problems and to find creative solutions for these.

Our Children, Our Future is a shining example of what communities can do when empowered to act. It is testament to the creativity and skills in Porirua’s Pacific communities, to your commitment to the safety of your children, and your ability to form strong road safety partnerships. Congratulations to you all.

Ia manuia tele.

End

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