Butch it's not a matter of govt; subsidising your equipment it's more like keeping up with the times. The only safe phones are the ones you don't see, or blue tooth capable phones and blue tooth capable radios. That way no hands leave the steering wheel when the phone rings. Blaming revenue raising for tougher laws is just a cop out.

579 Quite right, but few understand, and in the case of not near new cars or radios it can not be done.
Telling a Butcher how to make sausages would make me look a fool without doubt.
But
*Evidence has shown talking on a phone is as bad as drunk driving is fact*
Now I can not transfer my work life experiences in to other heads.
Few who do not remember *the Pacific highway death strip* will believe.
But so very many times seeing death that never needed to be hurts forever.
Yes Rechtub is quite right other things kill, but note his list is death bought on by not paying attention, just the reason phones kill.
Every state, thanks Foxy, has laws against it.
NSW once fined only $90, and took I think 1 point.
Head on, smashes are increasing phones and the ability to set cruse control [some drivers miss use that] kills.
I ask what would we think if a driver killed our child/partner while using the phone?
Am I right in thinking we then would beg for far more than $433 and 4 points?
You bet we would!
We only take driving seriously when we become the victim.
Using a non hands free phone while driving should see our car taken and no right to drive for 3 years.
Doing it and killing? never again hold a drivers license.
Any of us driving near the twin service centers on the Sydney to Newcastle freeway will drive past twin bridges named after a mate, he was killed by a motorist using a phone.
Getting the bridge named after him did not bring him back, an ex workmate not the average person, will challenge my words but they are true my grief was made worse in dealing with his family post event.
We owe it to every one to drive with respect and care, we have no freedom or rights to kill and maim.

where I live driving a 4 wheel drive and speaking on a mobile seems to go hand in hand.

DONT DO IT!

It remains against the law.
And for good reasons,not cash gathering.
Should we forgive our selves if we kill or maim another while breaking the law.

If you are really serious about preventing phone caused accidents, a better idea would be a device that jams phone signals when ever the car engine is running. I can see no reason to waste tax payer funds on pandering to the "forever no the phone brigade". Besides, it would give the ladies ears & vocal chords a bit of much needed rest.

I was recently at a gathering of nine people. The 5 ladies were all staring at, or tapping on a little black box in their hands, the men were discussing matters of deep importance. These crazy things have taken over their lives, encouraging them may give long suffering men a bit of peace from constant chatter, but is a recipe for road trauma.

Truth be known, ladies using the phone while driving, probably has no effect on the road toll, it just changes the where & when of the accident. Those distracted by the things, are going to be distracted by something, it's part of their nature. Lets face it, the ladies so called multitasking ability is simply a lack of the ability to concentrate on the job in hand for more than a few seconds.

I am waiting for some enterprising surgeon to offer to implant phones in ladies wrists. That way my youngest could stop running around frantically looking for her phone, on those rare occasions when she actually puts it down.