POLICY ANNOUNCEMENT
Yesterday I was joined by Senator Matthew Canavan to announce that a Country Liberal Government will focus on sealing and maintaining our primary economic roads, upgrading unsealed trucking routes, as well as bringing forward committed funding for identified ‘Roads of Strategic Importance’. We will also upgrade trouble spots like the Berrimah Road/Tiger Brennan Drive Intersection as part of a comprehensive roads plan.
A Country Liberal Government will plan and design ‘shovel ready’ road projects for consideration by the Commonwealth Government as part of their infrastructure priorities. This is something that has been neglected over the past four years.
About 70 per cent of the Territory’s roads are unsealed and have suffered from tight maintenance schedules and budgets. Many key unsealed roads have been graded to the point of being “dug in” with pervasive corrugation.
For our unsealed roads, a CLP Government will invest in a ‘rip and reform’ program, to remove defects and corrugation, while rebuilding and reforming the road to allow water drainage. This cost-effective method prepares the road to be maintained until it’s sealed. Sealing will be prioritised in sections in priority areas and packaged to support local contractors to win the work.
A CLP Government will also ensure that our urban road network is safe with the best possible traffic distribution. This will include urban road projects such as the Tiger Brennan Freeway Project Stage 1: Berrimah Road Intersection.
Regional roads that will be prioritised by a CLP Government:
• Identified ‘Roads of Strategic Importance’, with Commonwealth funding:
✔️ Adelaide River to Wadeye Corridor: Port Keats Road, Daly River Road and Dorat Road.
✔️ Mango Roads: Sections of Chibnall Road, Mocatto Road, Horsnell Road and Kentish Road in the Litchfield Municipality.
✔️ Alice Springs to Halls Creek Corridor: Tanami Road and Stuart Highway.
✔️ Newman to Katherine Corridor: Victoria Highway.
✔️ Tennant Creek to Townsville Corridor: Barkly Highway.
• Roads aiding economic development of Aboriginal communities:
✔️ Central Arnhem Road, Carpentaria Highway, Arnhem Link Road, Roper Highway, Port Melville Road (Pirlangimpi), Santa Teresa Road, Sandover Highway.
• Other roads to open up industry and tourism: Buntine Highway (Cattle), Murandji Road (cattle), Douglas-Daly Connector Road (Cotton/Mining/Timber), Larapinta Drive/Mereenie Loop of the Red Centre Way (Tourism), Tablelands Highway Bridges (Cattle), Outback Way: Plenty Highway (Cattle/Tourism), Wollogorang Road (Cattle/Tourism), Kakadu Roads (Tourism), Point Stuart Road (Fishing/Tourism).
A Country Liberal Party Government will value the importance of road infrastructure and prioritise upgrades and maintenance. We need to open up our regions so they can realise their economic potential to create job opportunities.
#jobs #safety #opportunity