PASIN PLEDGES AN ADDITIONAL $14.5 MILLION FOR LOCAL ROADS IN BARKER

PASIN PLEDGES AN ADDITIONAL $14.5 MILLION FOR LOCAL ROADS IN BARKER

An elected Liberal Government will provide an additional $250 million to increase the Roads to Recovery program, making it a $1 billion per year contribution from this year, helping local governments maintain and upgrade local roads earlier than planned.

Shadow Minister for Roads and Road Safety Tony Pasin said the Coalition is committed to taking decisive action to increase Roads to Recovery funding to $1 billion immediately, commencing 2025-26, a full two years ahead of schedule.

Every local council in the country, including the 19 local governments across Barker will benefit from this additional and accelerated funding, with $1.35 billion more in Roads to Recovery funding provided in the first term of a Coalition Government compared to Labor’s first term.

Mr Pasin said many Councils were under increasing financial pressures as the local government sector took on more responsibilities and it was vital that local road infrastructure received the investment required.

“Established in 2001 by the Howard Government, the Roads to Recovery program delivers an ongoing funding commitment to fix local roads, providing a stable and predictable source of funding,” said Mr Pasin.

“The Roads to Recovery program supports Councils to construct and maintain local road assets which account for 77 per cent of the national road network.”

“In 2023 Labor promised to double the Roads to Recovery program, but they delayed funding to future years making this yet another Labor broken promise for local communities,”

“A strength of the Roads to Recovery program is the flexibility it provides to local governments, with councils responsible for choosing road projects on which to spend their Roads to Recovery funding, based on their local priorities.”

This funding builds on the following announced Coalition’s commitments:

• $1 billion to reinstate the successful Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program - supporting vital local infrastructure upgrades.
• Reinstate the 80:20 federal funding model for nationally significant road projects in regional and remote areas - ensuring more regional roads and highways are upgraded.
• $600 million Ag and Mining Roads program to support our mining, resources and farming sectors by investing in infrastructure to upgrade agricultural and mining roads critical to getting product to domestic and export markets.

The additional funding invested into the Roads to Recovery Program by a Liberal Dutton Government would result in close to $4 million in additional funding over the next four years for the Barker region.

When combined with the recent announcement that a Dutton Liberal Government will reinstate the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, it means nearly $15 million in additional funding for the local road network in Barker under a Dutton Government.

Only a Dutton Liberal Government will get our roads and road safety back on track.