BOTH Member for New England Barnaby Joyce and Barwon MP Roy Butler have slammed the brakes on any push to expand point-to-point speed camera penalties beyond heavy vehicles, saying it's unnecessary.
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A group of NSW residents called Penalty Rip Off have claimed expanding the program would reduce road deaths, the majority of which occur in regional areas.
In 2020, 176 people were killed on regional roads, 193 in 2021, and this is forecast to increase to 214 this year.
"The fact that regional fatalities are increasing so quickly is of real concern," a spokesperson for the group said.
"Speed is the main contributor to fatality crashes. The government is fuelling the culture of speeding by limiting average speed camera monitoring to heavy vehicles, contrary to the practice in other states.
"All of these cameras are located in regional areas, if a reckless speedster passes one they'll get away with it and remain a danger to other road users."
But the push is receiving little support from policymakers at a state, or federal level.
Mr Joyce is firmly against the idea. He said it would only be another example of over-governance.
"I'm always of the view there's too much government in my life, it's not a case of there's not enough, and I'm always hesitant about it," he said.
"There's always a good reason to let the government more into your life, but I'm always less inclined to make it happen.
"People shouldn't speed, but I just don't want to be monitored on everything I do every moment of the day, every place I'm at, I just want people to give me the space to be anonymous.
"I don't want to be monitored for every possible evil that I might have."
Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MP Roy Butler said he is extremely concerned with the number of people who are dying on regional roads. Sixty-six people have lost their lives within the Barwon electorate between 2016 and 2020.
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Despite this, Mr Butler said he believes there are more effective ways to stop people from speeding, and questioned how effective the point-to-point penalties would be for regular vehicles.
"I've seen the push before for more fixed cameras or point -to-point cameras but there's no substitute for seeing more highway patrol cars on the road, because that is an immediate deterrent," he said.
"It might be part of the solution ... but just like the fixed cameras it doesn't change behaviour in the moment, you get a fine weeks after the fact.
"Over time that might have an impact in driver behaviour, but the moment that person is speeding the best thing you can come across is a highway patrol car."
He said people who drive through those areas often also avoid punishment by continuing to speed, but having a lunch break or toilet stop between the cameras, so their average speed is down.
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall didn't favour either side of the argument, but pointed out the majority of accidents - 69.14 per cent - had occurred on local roads in the first three months of this year, not state or federal highways where point-to-point speed cameras operate.