“Driving Change is a community-led program that helps break through the barriers that some young Aboriginal people have to getting a licence, such as access to identification documents, limited availability to supervising drivers or cars, and prohibitive lesson costs.”
At the launch Kevin Humphries, the Member for Barwon, whose electorate is geographically the second largest in the state, spoke of the isolation and difficulties for communities without licenced drivers.
Mr Humphries recounted the story of the community at Weilmoringle on the Calgoa River during the serious floods two years ago. There was an evacuation order, but as none of the 120 people living there had ever evacuated in earlier floods, just retreated to the sand hills, the SES flew a couple of the elders of the community up river in a helicopter to show them the extent of the problem. On their return the elders convinced everyone to leave. The police came out from Brewarrina to help with the evacuation.
After about half an hour, no one had moved and the police couldn’t work it out, so one of the police officers went up to one of the younger lads and asked, “What’s the problem?”
“Well sir, see those cars. None of them are registered and none of us have licences.” So the police officer said, “Well what do you think we should do?” “Well sir, if you just drive up there for 10 minutes, by the time you’re back we’ll all be gone.”
Project Officer Jake Byrne explained how the program will fund positions for local Driver Licensing Champions in three pilot sites at Griffith, Shellharbour and Redfern, located at local community services that people will be comfortable to access.
Molisa Carney has been the first local Driver Licensing Champion appointed in Redfern, at Redfern Community Centre, to create mentoring opportunities and provide links to existing services and information.
Ms Carney said: “As a youth worker and a mother, I can see that this will not only help open doors and improve independence for our young people, it will also help them get a better understanding of how important road safety is.”
