Clarence
Valley Independent,
4 November 2022:
Minister
for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway has been forced to
admit that not one single kilometre of a promised 15,000 kilometres
of regional roads has been transferred from local councils to State
ownership.
Under
questioning by John Graham MLC during a recent Budget Estimates
hearing, Minister Farraway could not bring himself to say the words
“it is zero”, despite it being clear that zero roads have been
transferred under the program.
The
Minister dashed the hopes of regional motorists and cash-strapped
regional councils that the glacial roll-out of the program would be
sped up, saying the Government’s key 2019 election commitment is
“not a burning topic” amongst regional councils.
The
Minister also cast doubt on whether the full complement of 15,000
kilometres promised would be transferred, repeatedly stating that the
policy was “up to” 15,000 kilometres.
Shadow
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said the
Minister’s evidence confirmed that the promise was a cynical
attempt to pork barrel regional communities.
“This
was a “magic pudding” election promise; every Nationals and
Liberal candidate could point to a potential road in their electorate
which could be eligible for reclassification or transfer, and the
Government still, nearly four years later, hasn’t transferred a
single one of them,” Ms Aitchison said.
The
Labor candidate for Clarence Dr Leon Ankersmit said the promise
clearly is a burning topic amongst locals whose tyres and cars are
being wrecked by our potholes that are voluminous and crater deep …
it is burning holes in their pockets.
“We’ve
got priority regional roads in the Clarence Valley and Richmond
Valley Councils that have been put on the back burner by this
city-centric Government,” Dr Ankersmit said.
“When
this policy was announced it was 15,000 kilometres of regional roads
and then the dissembling started with ‘up to’.
“That
is the whole problem with this particular election commitment; it has
been short on action, vague on detail and has left local councils and
locals in limbo land.”
“Clarence
Valley Council is seeking to have a number of regional roads
transferred to State ownership and management, but importantly, with
council keeping state funded maintenance contracts to protect local
outdoor jobs. Roads identified for transfer include Grafton to Yamba
Road, Eight Mile Lane, Armidale Road, Orara Way, Wooli Road, Big
River Way and Ulugundahi View; Iluka Road, Clarence Way, Tyringham
Road, and Goodwood Island Road.
“Council
is also seeking to have the following local roads reclassified to
regional roads and transferred to the State: Angourie Road, Brooms
Head Road, Gardiners Road, Amos Road and Palmers Channel South Bank
Road, Coaldale Road, Rogans Bridge Road, Pringles Way,
Ashby-Tullymorgan and Ashby-Jackybulbin Road, Old Glen Innes Road,
Coldstream Road and Tucabia Road, and Sherwood Creek Road.”
Dr
Ankersmit confirmed Clarence Valley Council wants to hand back all
378km of regional roads under its control or 15% of its total road
network to the State Road network, also keeping maintenance
contracts, with some relevant applications done in collaboration with
neighbouring councils.
“This
includes the full length of the Clarence Way.” Dr Ankersmit said.
“Richmond
Valley Council is seeking to have Casino to Woodburn Road transferred
to State ownership and what will be the Old Pacific Highway from
Boundary Creek Road to South Woodburn Interchange to be a State asset
with the State assuming responsibility for its maintenance.”
“However,
at this point Richmond Valley Council has only been contacted about
transferring the Broadwater to Evans Head Road from local to regional
road. The issue about additional funds to Council to maintain the
newly classified regional road has not been addressed.”
“Richmond
Valley Council also nominated Naughtons Gap Rd (via East Street) from
Bruxner Highway in Casino to the Lismore Kyogle Road to be
re-classified from local to regional road, whilst remaining under
Council control to protect local jobs.”
“Council
also supported Kyogle and Lismore Councils in their proposal to have
the Lismore Kyogle Road, as well as Lismore Coraki Road, and Wyrallah
Road returned to the State.”…..