TARCOWIE AND LAURA ROAD INTERSECTION

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS (15:04): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Road Safety a question about a hazardous intersection in Appila in the state's North.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.J. STEPHENS: The opposition has received complaints about the dangerously narrow intersection of the Tarcowie and Laura roads, and yesterday the situation was raised publicly on ABC Radio. Trucks have to illegally cross a double white line at this intersection in order to pass a blind corner, and a major accident seems imminent. In addition, the harvest season has seen the road become increasingly busy, making a serious accident more likely. The District Council of Mount Remarkable is calling for a solution to this road safety issue.

While a request for works has been put in to the department of transport, evidently it has been suggested that nothing can be done until next financial year. The council chairman, Mr Trevor Roocke, has made the comment that, sadly, he feels there needs to be a fatality for the problem to be taken seriously. My question to the minister is: will the state government make this road safety issue an urgent priority and take action to fix the problem before people are seriously injured or killed?

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:05): I thank the honourable member for his question in relation to this intersection. I will undertake to get some advice from the department and bring back a response for the honourable member, because I do not have information with me today to be able to respond in respect of exactly where the department is at with this intersection.