Public Works Committee: The Outback Highway Flood Recovery Works

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:10): I move:

That the 92^nd report of the committee, entitled The Outback Highway Flood Recovery Works, be noted.

In January 2022, significant rains led to severe flooding of northern parts of South Australia. The floodwaters damaged large parts of the regional arterial road network, including substantial damage to a 78.5-kilometre section of The Outback Highway. The Department for Infrastructure and Transport proposes to repair and reconstruct this damaged section of road as well as make improvements to fortify it against future weather events.

The 272-kilometre section of The Outback Highway between Hawker and Marree forms part of the national key freight network declared by the Australian Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communication and the Arts. It is the main access between Hawker and Marree as well as a vital connection for regional communities within South Australia via the Oodnadatta Track and in Queensland via the Strzelecki and Birdsville tracks. These tracks are key to ongoing economic development for the state as they provide access to mining and gas fields in the Far North region.

The highway is also a critical link for pastoralists and provides key access for tourism. The identified section of road needing repair experiences an annual average daily traffic count of 150 vehicles, of which an estimated 12 per cent are heavy vehicles. The 2022 flooding event left significant sections of the road under water, causing extensive damage and closing the road to all traffic between Marree and Lyndhurst for several days until temporary repairs were made.

The closure led to major disruption of supply lines and services for local, state and national communities, causing significant negative social and economic impacts. Unfortunately, this is not a lone event. Since 2013, The Outback Highway has been closed for a total of 68 days due to weather events. Through the proposed repairs and improvements, this project aims to improve the resilience of the regional road network in line with a supply chain review drafted by the Australian Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics.

The proposed works will build formation works to raise the road profile throughout the flood-affected areas to reduce risks from future weather events, construct new floodways and drainage structures to accommodate future flood events, introduce cement-stabilised pavement materials that will enable the road to better withstand future inclement weather events and prevent damage to the pavement, construct new pavement and surfacing for the extent of the works, add new line marking and remove vegetation where required.

The new road will be gazetted for vehicles equivalent in size to a triple road train. The detailed design considers the potential need for service relocations, and the department will engage service authorities early during project development to ensure any necessary relocations are complete before the main construction works commence. The project will require the clearance of some native vegetation and weeds, and necessary approvals will be sought in accordance with the department's vegetation impact assessment guideline. The department states that removal will be minimised where possible.

The project is estimated to cost $25 million and is jointly funded by the Australian and South Australian governments on a fifty-fifty basis through the infrastructure betterment program, which was approved under the commonwealth-state disaster funding arrangements. Ongoing costs for the maintenance of the improvements will be sourced from the department's operating budget. The department will manage the project in accordance with its program and project management framework. Construction works will be managed in accordance with the General Conditions of Contract: GC21, with a contract being awarded through a competitive tender process.

A detailed design has been awarded and delivery is proposed to be undertaken through a separate construct-only contract. Procurement will be in accordance with the state government's procurement management framework and guidelines. Construction is estimated to begin early next year and is targeted to be complete and operational by the middle of 2026.

The department has highlighted key risks for the project, which include construction delays due to adverse weather, which will be considered through the development of a comprehensive construction program; impacts on the road network during construction, for which the construction contractor will create traffic management plans to mitigate disruption; and delays in obtaining statutory approvals, for which the department will undertake early engagement with relevant authorities.

The works will adopt a range of initiatives that consider sustainable objectives. These initiatives include the use of recycled construction materials, opportunities to use potable water where possible, and a contamination remediation management plan that promotes beneficial re-use of materials. The report has been endorsed by the Department for Environment and Water.

The Register of Aboriginal Sites and Objects has identified no Aboriginal heritage sites within 50 metres of the project. Further assessment has determined there is a moderate risk of encountering unknown Aboriginal heritage sites, and measures are in place to comply with the Aboriginal Heritage Act if required. Native title has been extinguished on the parcels of affected land, and there are no further native title implications. A non-Aboriginal heritage assessment has identified no direct impacts on commonwealth, state or local heritage places.

A community and stakeholder management plan has been drafted to ensure appropriate levels of communication and consultation with relevant stakeholders, residents, property owners and businesses. This includes consultation with traditional owners of the land, the Outback Communities Authority, government departments and agencies, local members of parliament, emergency services, industry bodies and the community. The department state that they will continue to consult with relevant stakeholders and community representatives throughout the delivery of the works.

The committee examined written and oral evidence in relation to The Outback Highway flood recovery works project. Witnesses who appeared before the committee were Scott Cooper, Acting Executive Director, Transport Strategy and Planning, Department for Infrastructure and Transport, and Jodie Grayson, Team Leader, Northern Rural, Department for Infrastructure and Transport. I thank the witnesses for their time. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the member for Stuart, who provided a written statement to the committee supporting this project in his electorate.

Based upon the evidence considered and pursuant to section 12C of the Parliamentary Committees Act 1991, the Public Works Committee reports to parliament that it recommends the proposed public work.

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Stuart) (11:16): I have great pleasure in speaking on the Public Works Committee submission regarding the funding for some of the outback roads up there. These funds are well and truly appreciated by not only the people living in those locations but also the ever-increasing number of travellers who use the road, especially between Lyndhurst and Marree.

Just recently, a couple of weeks ago, I travelled this road over a six-day period and was extremely surprised at the flood damage that had been caused to this section of The Outback Highway. I know that the aim of these funds is to improve the road infrastructure, which will reduce the times this section will be closed due to extreme weather conditions, which cause economic losses not only to the pastoralists but also the ever-increasing tourism opportunities.

I must admit there are ever-increasing opportunities for tourism there. The member indicated 110 or 112 vehicles a day; I think that is growing every day. So this is an issue where what we have to do as a government and in this chamber here is try to get more funds for those roads up there, not only for the pastoralists and the economic opportunities for them but also to satisfy the ever-increasing tourism opportunities that also increase the economic benefits for the businesses in those outback areas.

This section is very low lying and has been closed nearly 100 days recently—in the last 12 months—due to weather conditions. The conditions were particularly bad in the 2022 intense rains and subsequent flooding. Whilst these rains are great for the pastoralists, it causes great damage to the roads and, as I say, at the same time it creates economic challenges for the businesses up there. It also adds increased costs to the pastoralists in getting their produce down to the markets in the south and in getting food up to the people in the north.

I also mention that a further, northern section of The Outback Highway, north of Marree to William Creek, has sustained lots of damage that has occurred since the rain some months ago. Whilst the road was graded to a safe condition, there was more traffic and more rain, and the traffic went through, causing more damage to that road than it should have done. This is an absolute disgrace from the general public's point of view. The signs say that the roads are closed due to safety requirements, but people still go through there.

What has been caused on that particular section of road, just north of William Creek, from Maree to William Creek, are big ruts in the roads. It is a very big issue for safety and things like that. More rain went through, causing damage to several sections of this highway, with traffic now reduced to a single lane. I took photographs of that particular section of road and have sent them to the minister.

The frustrating part about this, from information I received just recently, is that pastoralists have been ringing the contractor in Port Augusta and have been told that it will not be assessed until November this year. Again, this is an issue I will be taking up with a minister to try to accelerate it. These concerns, plus photographs, have been taken to the minister and I am certain there will be remedial work carried out prior to the pastoralists bring their stock down to the markets.

As I said, just recently I have had discussions with a lot of people up there and, as with others, they get calls from all over South Australia. However, there is a cost factor for pastoralists bringing their produce down—especially the cattle, when there are triples coming down. There is a lot of damage to those vehicles and that cost is then put onto the produce coming down, which puts up the price of the produce for the general public.

With regard to this particular section, as I said a bit earlier the locals have been advised that it will not be assessed until November. If that is correct that is a very bad way this contract has been written. I know the minister, with the member for MacKillop, has been concerned about some of the contract work down there for maintenance, and he is going to be taking that on board. This is another area of concern I have, as the local member, and I will be taking this up with the minister himself.

However, in regard to this project, I thank the members of the Public Works Committee, on all sides of politics, for their deliberations. This is well worth the $25 million, and I know the people of the communities up there in the outback areas, as well as the ever-increasing number of tourists, will thank both the state and federal governments for their consideration on this $25 million—which, I understand, is on a fifty-fifty basis.

I commend the report to the parliament and look forward to the start and continuation of the works up there.

Mr BROWN (Florey) (11:22): I would like to take this opportunity to thank the member for Stuart for his contribution, as always an impassioned but rational plea on behalf of his community for proper roads. Speaking for myself, I have certainly learned a lot more about regional roads than I knew before from talking to the member for Stuart. He does his best to make sure us city folk are informed about what is going on up there, and I thank him for his support of this project.

Motion carried.