Media Release | 28 August 2026
Hon. Julie Freeman MLC
Shadow Minister for Road Safety
Shadow Minister for Road Safety Hon Julie Freeman MLC says Western Australians deserve answers from the Minister for Road Safety, Labor’s fifth, on what action she will take to address a road toll that continues to rise.
“Western Australia’s road toll stands at 146 deaths this year, well above the five-year average of 108 for the same period. Every one of those deaths represents a tragedy, and the growing gap above the average shows the road safety crisis is deepening,” Ms Freeman said.
“The Minister has now had more than six weeks in this portfolio. That is enough time to be briefed, to read herself into the detail, and to understand exactly what has and hasn’t worked. But West Australians are still waiting to hear what she plans to do about the tragic road toll that just keeps rising.”
Ms Freeman said Minister Stojkowski was the fifth person to hold the Road Safety portfolio since Labor came to government in 2017, following Michelle Roberts, Paul Papalia, David Michael and Reece Whitby.
“Four ministers before her have come and gone while road deaths continue to climb. Western Australians don’t need a fifth minister repeating the same announcements that have already failed four times over.
“This Minister really only has one KPI: reduce road deaths and start closing the gap on our shocking road safety record.
“Western Australia has the worst road toll per capita of any state in the nation, and that is not a statistic you can spin your way out of,” Ms Freeman said.
“West Australians don’t want to hear that the Minister is still getting across her portfolio. They want to know what she is going to do that four ministers before her could not — and they want to know now.”
ENDS
