A Minns Labor Government will invest in road repair urgently needed across our regions after more than a decade of poor maintenance, compounded by floods and bushfires.
NSW Labor will create a new, two year Emergency Road Repair Fund – a $670 million fund over the next two years to ensure that the roads people rely on every single day across Regional NSW are up to scratch.
Labor will provide an additional investment of $390 million over the next two years, and continue the existing $280 million regional pothole program, to ensure there is enough funding available to start the vital work of repairing our regional roads.
In 2019, the Liberals and Nationals promised to reclassify and transfer up to 15,000 km of roads to help lift the burden on Councils.
Despite being the Government’s signature regional roads commitment in 2019, it remains unfulfilled – and in the last four years has transferred a total of zero kilometres of regional roads.
So Labor will defer the failed road reclassification program and put the existing NSW Budget funding of $193 million – along with an additional $197 million of new money – into the new Emergency Road Repair Fund.
This means that under Labor, regional communities will have more than double the funding available to them compared to the Liberal and National’s failed road reclassification program – funding that will actually get out the door and make a meaningful impact on repairing the local roads neglected by this government.
FAILED GOVERNMENT PROGRAM
Months and years have been spent on a process by the Road Reclassification Independent Panel taking submissions and delivering reports.
Yet in the latest sign of how seriously the Liberals and Nationals are taking this process, the final report has been sitting on the Minister’s desk for months, and he hasn’t even released it – much less acted on its recommendations.
This program has done nothing except leave local councils disappointed and frustrated.
No roads have been transferred and there is still no pathway towards supporting councils to repair their roads.
Even if the process were to commence today, it would take another 10 years to complete.
Local councils and regional communities need their roads repaired immediately – not a 10 year process that the Liberals and Nationals haven’t even bothered to start yet.
Quotes attributable to Chris Minns, NSW Labor leader:
“Across the state, regional, rural and remote communities are suffering with damaged roads as a result of the Government’s failure to provide real assistance to Councils to keep roads properly maintained.
“Labor will prioritise getting our road networks in the regions back on track, with help to every Council to fix their roads, and build the roads they need to help their growing communities prosper.
“The Liberals and Nationals have failed to lift the burden on Councils since their broken promise to reclassify and transfer roads back in 2019.
“Labor will act to provide the funds that Councils need to fix their roads now.”
Quotes attributable to Jenny Aitchison, NSW Shadow Minister for Regional Transport and Roads:
“Rural, regional and remote communities can’t reach their full potential without funding to repair their roads. They need new roads to link in with new developments, new economic opportunities and to fix the maintenance backlog.”
“The Liberals walked away from their own commitment to reclassify and transfer up to 15,000km of roads in this state. Labor will not leave country communities on their own, we will provide the help they need to get moving again.” “Communities have told us they need urgent assistance to fix their roads and create the new ones to meet the needs of their communities. Labor is working with communities to build and maintain the roads they use every day.”
CHRIS MINNS
NSW LABOR LEADER
JENNY AITCHISON MP
NSW SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL TRANSPORT & ROADS
