News

This week the VAU has met with multiple parties to advocate for improving information sharing, as well as new systems and initiatives are being developed to improve safety. 

• The VAU met with an AV STM and VAU member who is leveraging off an existing platform to potentially have a live database of current AV safety information available to on road staff. 
• We met with Victoria Police at Tally Ho to discuss information sharing, looking at ways to improve the way AV request assistance and increase responsiveness to AV requests. We discussed several potential initiatives that will free up VicPol from unnecessary tasks such as attending referral cases that have not been triaged to increase their availability when required. We discussed the value of information sharing at a local level and how best to disseminate this to all on road. 
• We with Communications staff and management at Tally Ho to discuss limitations of current systems and learn about internal projects in development for interim measures to increase safety for crews. 
• We attended the fifth CRM workshop where grid reform continued, discussions between AV and TZV relating to barriers of information gathering and the legislative changes required.  
• We met with NEPT providers to discuss information sharing in the Non-Emergency sector, including potential initiatives that will increase the safety of crews and to promote employees reporting any occupational violence to their employers and the union for a collaborative approach to safety. 
• MDNR (Motor Data Network Rural) workshop, which will benefit our members in regional areas by there being increased situational awareness and improved safety.

We know the current systems are deeply flawed and leave frontline staff unnecessarily vulnerable to occupational violence risk. We have many passionate, driven and highly skilled members driving initiatives that will have real impacts to improving data sharing and safety.

In solidarity