Durack Roads Will Collapse Under Labor
12 July 2024
Member for Durack, The Hon Melissa Price MP, says the Albanese Labor Government’s Roads to Recovery’s (R2R) new funding distribution is metropolitan focused and will leave regional councils behind in their struggle to address ever-growing local road maintenance tasks.
The R2R program was established by the Coalition Government to support councils to maintain local road networks, proving to be highly successful. Now, with the funding round under a Labor Government, local shires in the Durack electorate will be disadvantaged compared to more prosperous capital city councils.
“Whilst Labor is slowly increasing the R2R funding, I am shocked that local government areas in my electorate of Durack are only receiving an increase of 46.7 per cent, well below the average increase of 65 per cent and far below the 76 per cent being received by city councils. This lack of required funds is another direct attack on the regions by Labor and will only exacerbate the disadvantages that rural, regional and remote areas already experience,” said Ms Price. “Our communities are crying out for investment in their local road networks.”
The R2R program is delivered in five-year funding periods and funding determinations are made by the Minister itemising five-year allocations to each local government area. While the Federal Labor Government is increasing R2R funding gradually, Ms Price says the recently announced five-year funding allocation indicates this increase is not being distributed fairly.
“The 2024 National State of the Assets Report shows $23.1billion worth of local government roads are in poor condition, $18.7 billion have poor function and $17.0 billion have poor capacity,” said Ms Price. “My electorate of Durack has 41 local councils, all located in regional, rural or remote areas and they rely heavily on funding such as the R2R program to keep their road networks safe and operational. In fact, local government roads represent a whopping 77 per cent of our national road network by length.”
“The Prime Minister said when he was elected two years ago that no one would be held back, no one would be left behind. It is evident that Mr Albanese’s many promises have only been kept to those who live in urban Australia. A Coalition Government will always look after regional Australia.” Ms Price stated.
Ms Price encourages Durack residents to nominate a local road in their area that is in desperate need of funding, through the National Road Survey launched last month. Submit your views through the survey at https://www.research.net/r/2HRHBV9. Submissions are open until 5pm, 30 August 2024.
Ends.
Media Contact: Jackie Perry
0427 587 395, jackie.perry@aph.gov.au