NSW Labor will contribute over $8.7 million for emergency road repairs across the Clarence electorate after more than a decade of neglect by the Nationals, compounded by floods and bushfire, and a failure to invest in regional road maintenance.
Labor’s $8.7 million emergency road repairs package is in addition to (and in fact will more than double) the funding included in the Government’s pothole funding announcement from earlier this year. It includes:
- $6.1M to Clarence Valley Council
- $2.6M to Richmond Valley Council
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.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway have recently said the process could take another four years to complete, and the report has already been sitting on Minister Farraway’s Desk for over four months.
Mayors and Councillors across the state have expressed extreme frustration at the Government’s broken promise on roads reclassification, demanding action now.
Shadow Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison MP says, “For the last 12 years, the Nationals have overseen billions of dollars in cost blowouts and overspends in mega projects in metropolitan areas at the expense of the regions.” “Labor’s commitment of over $8.7 million for Clarence electorate roads will provide much needed cost of living relief for councils and communities by repairing their damaged roads after 12 years of inaction, floods and fires and deliver the roads that are needed to provide the roads our regions need for the future. Leon Ankersmit NSW Labor candidate for Clarence said. “Labor’s commitment of $8.7 million will provide much needed cost of living relief for our local Council’s and people in the local community.”
“The condition of the roads in the Clarence electorate are the result of a Liberal National Government that has failed to deliver for regional communities.”
“The current condition of the roads is harming our industries including farming, secondary industries and tourism industries”.
“Labor is committed to supporting Councils to fix the local roads that people use every day to get to work, get the kids to school or get to medical appointments.”