OUTBACK ROADS

The Hon. J.S. LEE (14:56): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Tourism a question about outback roads affecting tourists in the outback.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.S. LEE: It was reported on ABC radio on 15 May 2012 that an outback station owner in the state's north-east corner says that the bad condition of some roads is making it difficult to truck cattle as well as causing difficulties for road trip holidaymakers. Cordillo Downs Station's Anthony Brook says that it should be a state government responsibility. Mr Brook continues:

It's a public road, it's a state-owned road…and the wash outs are quite dangerous. They are just left there for tourists to accidentally drive into so there's wash out that reappears in the same place each year.

Even on the Outback Australia website, the Cordillo Downs Road is rated as difficult due to the ill-maintenance, especially after rain, and it states that 'this road may be impassable for days or weeks'. The Cordillo Downs Station hires international tourists to help with the land, and this location is reasonably popular for four-wheel drive tracks, therefore making it essential for travellers to check roads and weather conditions for the area before entering. On 17 May 2012, the minister tabled an answer to a question I asked on 9 February. The answer states:

The Minister for Transport and Infrastructure has been advised that in 2011-12 the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure has an allocation of $3.09 million to invest on flood damage repair.

My questions are:

1. As the Minister for Tourism, what safety measures will the minister advocate for our international and local tourists?

2. Since the ill-maintenance of outback roads has been an ongoing matter for local truck users and tourists, can the minister advise how much out of the flood damage funding allocation will go to repair the Cordillo Downs Road and surrounding areas?

3. Can the minister advise what percentage of the $3.09 million allocated in 2011-12 has been expended and what flood-damaged areas are still waiting for repairs?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for Forests, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Tourism, Minister for the Status of Women) (14:58): I thank the honourable member for her important questions. I will refer them to the Minister for Transport in another place and bring back a response. The issue of our outback roads in particular is a very challenging one for us. We are a state that involves vast distances, much of which are in remote areas, and many of those roads are unsealed, which means that they are open to the vagaries of weather conditions and also road usage.

We know that unsealed roads do not offer the same degree of resilience as sealed roads. That means, when there are heavy rains from time to time, we end up with all sorts of flood damage, and the issue of repair and maintenance of those roads is a real challenge for us.

I have been advised that the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure is obviously responsible for the care, control and maintenance of our 10,000 kilometres of unsealed roads in the unincorporated areas of South Australia. These roads are divided into four categories, depending on their strategic importance and their connectivity between towns, traffic types and volumes.

The category of road determines the level of maintenance required, and a road of the highest category, such as the Strzelecki Track, will be scheduled to receive maintenance, as I understand, four times a year, whereas a road in a lower category, such as a station access road, is likely to be graded only once a year. There was recent flooding of the Thomson and Barcoo rivers feeding into Cooper Creek, and damage was reported.

I have been advised that DPTI officers have been negotiating with Mr Brook from the Cordillo Downs station in relation to offering the opportunity to grade the road on behalf of DPTI. It is the understanding of DPTI that Cordillo Downs has happy to undertake this work, and was preparing to return accepted paperwork to actually formalise that agreement.

I have been advised that DPTI has advised that a further inhibiting factor to DPTI undertaking grading in that area is that a causeway at Innamincka had been flooded, and hence access from the south is cut off for grading and other travel. I am further advised that DPTI was contacted by Ms Nicola Gage from the ABC in regard to that matter, and was informed that DPTI were in discussions with Cordillo Downs to undertake this work on a formal basis, but the ABC did not report that, Mr President, which is always disappointing when they report only part of the story and not all of the facts.

I am advised that, in 2010-11, $18.6 million was spent on the outback unsealed roads, which comprised $8.7 million for patrol works, $6.8 million for resheeting, and $3.1 million for Roads to Recovery works. In addition, a further $0.6 million was allocated during the financial year for the operation of the Cooper Creek ferry. In the 2011-12 financial year, the allocation is $18.159 million, which comprises $8.975 million for patrol works, $6.054 million for resheeting, and $3.130 million ($0.9 million for unsealed roads) for Roads to Recovery works.

In addition, $3.3 million in funding has been allocated in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 budgets to undertake flood damage repairs on outback unsealed roads. On 16 May 2012, I was advised that there were no major issues relating to the unsealed road network.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Dawkins has a supplementary.