Sykes raises rough roads in Parliament
The recent ABS figures which show the roads in the Mansfield and Strathbogie Shire are the roughest in Victoria was part of a sustained attack this week in Parliament on the State Government to increase funding for country roads.
The Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes and his Nationals colleagues used the ABS statistics to support their on going campaign “Fix Country Roads, Save Country Lives”.
Dr Sykes said, “We know from earlier reports that poor road conditions are a significant cause of accidents on country Victorian roads and that a report commissioned by the RACV recommends an extra $200m per year be expended on country roads in order to reduce accidents.
“Regrettably, deaths on country roads have increased over the past six years whilst deaths on city roads during the same period have decreased significantly.”
Dr Sykes continued, “I know that as I drive around the Benalla Electorate the condition of many roads is deteriorating because cash strapped local councils simply cannot afford to fully implement appropriate maintenance and upgrade programs.
“The Nationals have a solution – allocate 1% of GST direct to Local Government to fix roads with the ‘lion’s share’ going to disadvantaged councils. This would inject $80m per year into road repairs at no pain to other programs as GST income is growing by around 5% per year.”
Dr Sykes concluded, “It is time Mr Brumby stopped whingeing about alleged Federal Government short comings and got on with the job of living to his mantra of governing for all Victorians by increasing funding for country road maintenance.”
The Member for Benalla, Bill Sykes and his Nationals colleagues used the ABS statistics to support their on going campaign “Fix Country Roads, Save Country Lives”.
Dr Sykes said, “We know from earlier reports that poor road conditions are a significant cause of accidents on country Victorian roads and that a report commissioned by the RACV recommends an extra $200m per year be expended on country roads in order to reduce accidents.
“Regrettably, deaths on country roads have increased over the past six years whilst deaths on city roads during the same period have decreased significantly.”
Dr Sykes continued, “I know that as I drive around the Benalla Electorate the condition of many roads is deteriorating because cash strapped local councils simply cannot afford to fully implement appropriate maintenance and upgrade programs.
“The Nationals have a solution – allocate 1% of GST direct to Local Government to fix roads with the ‘lion’s share’ going to disadvantaged councils. This would inject $80m per year into road repairs at no pain to other programs as GST income is growing by around 5% per year.”
Dr Sykes concluded, “It is time Mr Brumby stopped whingeing about alleged Federal Government short comings and got on with the job of living to his mantra of governing for all Victorians by increasing funding for country road maintenance.”
Notice of Motion
That this House
condemns the Brumby Government for its failure to adequately fund Local Government to fix country roads in order to save country lives, in particular, the failure to fund repairs and upgrades on roads such as the Creighton’s Creek Road in Strathbogie Shire, the roughness of which is appalling, no doubt resulting in it contributing to Strathbogie Shire having the second highest percentage of rough main roads in Victoria in 2005/06*.
Bill Sykes
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posted by Greg Naylor at
4:15 PM
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