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Riders invited to join government panel

CFMoto-650 Vicroads online Survey motorcycle safety levy Victoria Yarra Black Spur country
MBW exercising social distancing on the Victorian Black Spur

Riders are invited to nominate to join a special panel to advise the Victorian Government on all matters involving motorcycles.

The Motorcycling Community Engagement Panel replaces the disbanded Motorcycling Expert Advisory Panel MCEP after a review of MEAP called by Road Safety Minister Jaala Pulford.

Some say it is a political move.

However, it also provides riders with a clean-slate opportunity to have their voice heard.

Rider representatives are invited on various government committees in other states, but this seems to be the only dedicated committee on motorcycle-only issues.

New panel

The MCEP will include five Victorian Government representatives and six community members with “a range of different attitudes, expertise and skills”.

Nominees must be current motorcycle riders with a valid licence and live in Victoria.

It precludes Victorian riders who have moved interstate and visiting riders attracted to the state’s famous riding roads or attend the annual MotoGP, Phillip Island Classic or World Superbikes.

CFMoto-650 Vicroads online Survey motorcycle safety levy Victoria Yarra Black Spur safety levy country
Yarra Ranges have some great roads

Click here to express your interest in joining the panel.

Be quick as expressions of interest close on Sunday (1 December 2019). The new panel is expected to be commissioned in the first quarter next year.

Positive approach

Former MEAP delegate Rob Salvatore is positive about Pulford’s new MCEP.

Panel Rob Salvatore
Rob Salvatore

“The Minister has previous experience with the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee which after a review and refresh on her watch, developed into a genuine working committee helping set policy,” says Rob who is also VicRoads Transport Users Forum delegate and Victorian Motorcycle Council Vice Chair.

“I believe this is her motivation for the MEAP review.

“The review process was fairly open and involved all panel members.

“From a personal point of view, motorcycling is more complex than it first appears and that goes tenfold for the issues around motorcycling.

“While I support the broad search for new perspectives, I hope that those selected for the MCEP genuinely appreciate this truth about motorcycling.”