Tuesday, 21 March 2023

Princes Highway maintenance

Roma BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:51): The Princes Highway runs right through South-West Coast, from the border with Polwarth near Terang to the South Australian border. The key feature of the drive along the highway is not the beautiful paddocks with knee-high pasture or the dramatic seascapes but rather the neglected, decaying and dangerous road putting lives at risk. I again invite the Premier and the Minister for Roads and Road Safety to visit South-West Coast and enjoy a day of sightseeing and pothole dodging.

Highway 1’s condition is poor in many places, like in Illowa, Drumborg and Heywood, but how can I not mention the Allansford to Panmure section. This infamous piece of road has been a worksite since 2020, and despite the minister’s assurances in July last year it is still a construction site and still not finished. Outraged constituents called me on the weekend after they saw the road was being ripped up once again. They asked: when will this end and when will they have a safe road to drive on?

The Princes Highway between Allansford and Panmure remains unsealed and dangerous and is decaying before our very eyes. Two years ago the CEO of Regional Roads Victoria admitted that this was a flawed contract, which is clear to see. Minister, I again ask that you come and see our roads with your very own eyes. Minister, how long will it be till Labor gets something right? Our roads are appalling.