Wannon hopefuls pledge measures to improve road safety

THE Coalition has promised more funding for regional roads if it is elected in May, pledging to reinstate an 80:20 funding split between

federal and state governments for “nationally significant” road projects in regional and remote areas across the country.

Incumbent Wannon Liberal MP Dan Tehan, who has held the seat since 2010, made the election commitment alongside Liberal Senator Bridget McKenzie while on the campaign trail last week.

Ms McKenzie said the reduction of federal funding commitments for regional road infrastructure to 50:50 had resulted in cuts and delays to more than $30 billion worth of infrastructure projects.

“The government ignored warnings from an independent review of federal roads funding that scrapping the 80:20 funding formula would result in reduced investment in regional roads, and that is exactly what we have seen.

“The majority of the national highway network runs through regional Australia and Labor’s cuts mean these critical freight routes will be denied the funding needed to maintain efficient, safe and productive supply chains.”

Mr Tehan said roads in the Wannon electorate had “suffered” under cuts to road funding.

“Labor has cut the federal funding contribution for roads for national significance from $4 down to $1 for every dollar a state government invests in these roads,” he said.

“A vote for Teals or Greens is a vote for Labor’s 50:50 funding model, which means less money for regional roads.”

The election commitment was swiftly followed by a pledge from independent candidate for Wannon Alex Dyson to “make providing safe roads the law” and to work “with whoever forms government to push for the funding our region deserves”.

“My Right to Safe Roads Bill would require all major roads to meet a basic, 3-star safety standard by 2030, with the worst roads prioritised first,” he said.

“It’s unbelievable to think that, in this day and age, safe and well-maintained roads aren’t the standard. But many of the roads in our region receive the lowest-possible 1-star safety rating, and have been neglected for years, putting Wannon drivers at risk.”

He pointed to data from the International Road Assessment Programme that suggests raising the safety of 75 per cent of Australia’s roads to a 3-star level would save 256 lives annually.

“Experts tell us that fatal and serious crashes are four-times more likely on a 1-star road than on a 3-star road, which is why it is critical that we get all roads to this standard,” Mr Dyson said.