Regional Roads

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (15:32): I seek leave to make an explanation prior to addressing questions to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport on the state of our regional roads.

Leave granted.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: Liberal candidate for the seat of Stuart, Mr Leon Stephens, has been in contact with a gentleman by the name of Neil Watkins, who is responsible for the mail run from Yunta in the state's north. The run, from my understanding, goes as far north as the Beverley uranium mine along Tea Tree Road and south along the Sturt Vale Road toward Lilydale and Mutooroo.

Mr Watkins has serious concerns about the state of the roads he drives along regularly and the constant damage they cause his truck. He reports there are worn shoulders and big potholes, and he is convinced that although locals understand and use caution it is only a matter of time until a tourist might have a serious accident, noting that help is hard to come by between Yunta and the Beverley Mine. Mr Watkins has said that in recent years he has seen a steep decrease in the number of work gangs or groups of people out fixing remote roads, and he believes not enough is being done when lives are at risk every day.

We have also been advised by a pastoralist from past Oodnadatta, first name Tony, who is a member of the outback roads group, and has been for decades, that under this government re-sheeting on outback roads has decreased from an average of 100 kilometres a year to as low as 20 kilometres per year. My questions for the minister are:

1. Is Tony from past Oodnadatta correct when he notes that re-sheeting on outback roads has decreased significantly under this government's watch?

2. Does the minister agree with Mr Watkins that there is a legitimate concern about serious injury and death on regional roads, especially for those who are not familiar with them?

3. How does the minister justify the current backlog of works on our regional roads, which has now blown out to over $2 billion on Labor's watch?

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE (Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Autism) (15:34): That blew out under you guys. When you privatised it and you decided to outsource our road maintenance and didn't build the contract appropriately, problems were created, and it left us with significant problems. What we have done as a government is decided to invest in road maintenance. As I have probably said a few times now in this chamber, yes, we are always concerned about regional roads and, as I am advised, the total road maintenance spend in regional areas over the last three years is 50 per cent.

The Hon. C.M. Scriven: Say that again.

The Hon. E.S. BOURKE: Sorry, 57 per cent was spent in regional areas. I am further advised that the planned maintenance spend in 2025-26 in regional areas is 58 per cent. I am advised also, which I have said a few times in this chamber, excluding the north-south corridor—because it is such a significant project we need to just park that for a second—the major projects announced in regional areas since 2022-23 are approximately $2.7 billion, which represents 70 per cent of the total statewide transport investments.

We are spending a significant amount in our regional communities. If we look at the $15 billion Torrens to Darlington project, this is something that is going to be of great benefit to all South Australians. What is happening there is the supplies, particularly aggregate, which we have also spoken about before in this chamber, have to come from all corners of our state. Workforces are getting an opportunity to participate in increasing demand that is then going into our projects in South Australia. As I have highlighted, they are significant investments, and I have also highlighted that a significant amount is going back into our regions.