Roads

On 23 May 2023, the Premier Daniel Andrews said: “We’re doing everything we promised Victorians we’d do – and we’re not wasting a moment getting on with it”. What he perhaps should have said was: “We promised some things – we even promised to govern for all Victorians – but we will deliver only some things, dump plenty of others, and govern for a few.” For me there’s only one headline from this budget: Victoria is broke.

Victoria’s State Budget reveals that regional Victorians and farmers are being unfairly forced to pay the price of the Andrews Government’s infrastructure cost blowouts and years of fiscal mismanagement in Melbourne. VFF President Emma Germano said regional Victorian’s were being made to pay as a consequence of the government’s decisions.

The Albanese Government’s review of the Infrastructure Investment Program will consider how the Commonwealth can further support local councils through much needed road funding programs such as Roads to Recovery Program and Black Spot Program. We know how important these programs are to local communities, especially in our regions, and the Government is committed to ensuring these programs continue to deliver for communities in the best way possible over the long term.

Will Hunter. Trucking businesses across the country will have less money in their wallets following the federal government’s budget announcement to raise the heavy vehicle road user charge ... Member for Grey Rowan Ramsey said the change would disproportionally affect regional Australians who relied heavily on trucking for the delivery of goods. He said it was unconscionable for truck drivers to be lumped with an increase to the road user charge despite there being no significant investment back into road infrastructure.

Nyinkka Nyunyu is set for a $7 million upgrade, announced in this week’s Territory Budget ... Speaking to the Tennant & District Times, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Chansey Paech said works include a new artist studio, upgraded gallery, performance and storage spaces and immersive audio visual displays and experiences that share history, stories, arts and culture.

NSW Farmers’ Association is disappointed the federal government has missed key opportunities in the federal budget to strengthen Australian agriculture and rural communities. President of NSW Farmers Xavier Martin said the federal budget has “fallen short” of expectations, particularly around the significant biosecurity threats Australian farmers face.

Tonight’s ‘cost of living’ budget is a missed opportunity to address food price inflation, according to Australia’s peak farm body. National Farmers’ Federation President, Fiona Simson, said the budget does nothing to get to the heart of rampant food price inflation – which NFF polling shows is weighing on the minds of 8 in 10 Australians.

The federal budget has delivered a mixed result for rural Australia, with GrainGrowers expressing disappointment and calling for additional work in a number of areas ... While welcoming the steadfast commitment to maintaining Fuel Tax Credits and the extra attention to childcare, GrainGrowers said the government had missed a range of valuable investment opportunities for grain growers.

Kermadec Petrel to call LHI home once again, thanks to new project funding - Road upgrade - Project and funding updates - Welcome to the new Ranger, Thomas Nixon

The New England Highway at Cambooya was the scene for a non-fatal two truck collision at 5.38am on Friday as a south-bound vehicle collided with a north-bound vehicle on the sweeping bend where the highway joins with the Greenmount Etonvale road.

The newly-formed Rural Road Alliance is calling for an emergency funding package totalling nearly $5.5 billion in the upcoming Federal Budget. The alliance ... been formed in response to the critical challenges facing Australia’s rural road network in the wake of recent flooding and high rainfall.

The 22 kilometres of unsealed road that joins the two largest centres in the Murray River Council footprint will receive some much-needed maintenance through a recent $5.5 million investment in the Murray electorate from the NSW Government’s Fixing Local Roads program. The Perricoota Road will receive $1,398,477 for gravel resheeting.

Councillor Danielle Mulholland’s report on her meeting with Deputy Premier Paul Toole was followed by a stir among some councillors at the Kyogle Council meeting ... She listed the issues discussed at the meeting with Mr Toole. The most contentious one was the raising of the Toonumbar Dam wall.

A re-elected Liberal and Nationals Government will invest $1 billion in the regions to upgrade the roads communities use every day, fast-track freight and rebuild transport infrastructure after disaster ... “We want a road and rail network built for the long-term with the capacity and strength to survive fire and floods, to meet the growing freight task and to get product to market cheaper and more efficiently": Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole.

Moyne Shire Council has launched a new roads portal to give the community quick access to information about council’s road network and planned upgrade works across the shire. The portal includes a map pinpointing road renewal and resealing works, before and after photos, expected timeframes and information about how the works are funded.

Sections of the highway around Fitzroy Crossing were completely washed away in the recent one-in-100-year flood event, while the Fitzroy Crossing Bridge sustained significant damage and will need to be fully replaced. The plan will involve the implementation of a barge system across the river, which will initially be operated by tugs, with a cable system to be operationalised shortly after.

Farmers are frustrated by a stoush between state and federal governments that is holding up the construction of a vital freight link. On Tuesday Transport Minister Catherine King said the federal government would fund the start and end of the Great Western Highway upgrade, but there was “no money for the middle section” – a tunnel proposed by the state government.