Luke Hartsuyker (Cowper, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That this House:

(1)

notes:

(a)

that the Pacific Highway is a State road designed, built, owned, and maintained by the New South Wales State Government;

(b)

that there have been unacceptable delays and substantial cost over-runs in the upgrade of the Pacific Highway to dual carriageway standard from Hexham to the Queensland border;

(c)

notwithstanding that the Pacific Highway is a state road, the Australian Government has made a substantial commitment to the upgrade under the Pacific Highway Reconstruction Program Agreement and Auslink;

(d)

that there have been unacceptable delays to the commencement of work on by-passing population centres along the highway;

(e)

tenders have been received for the construction of the Bonville Deviation and the State Minister for Roads, Mr Tripodi, plans to delay commencement of works until mid 2006; and

(f)

the public consultation process has failed to achieve route outcomes which are acceptable to communities along the highway; and

(2)

calls on the New South Wales Labor Government to:

(a)

exercise more stringent cost and project management control over the highway upgrade; and

(b)

accelerate progress on this upgrade with a view to completing a dual carriageway between Hexham and the Queensland border by 2016.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak in the House on the very important issue of the Pacific Highway. It is a road which has great importance to the constituents in my electorate. It is also important to many Australians living on the eastern seaboard, given the role the highway plays in the national transport task. It is a road designed, built, owned and maintained by the New South Wales state government, but due to its national importance it receives substantial funding from the federal government despite its status as a state road. Over the three years ending 30 June 2009 the federal government will contribute $480 million to the upgrade, which aims to have the highway improved to dual carriageway standard by 2016.

Sadly, despite a 10-year plan to upgrade the highway to dual carriageway standard ending this year, there is still much work to be done to complete the task. It is estimated that by 30 June 2006 there will be 252.9 kilometres duplicated, with a further 51.3km under construction. This represents approximately 44 per cent of the total task.

The story of the Pacific Highway under the management of the New South Wales state government has been one of cost overruns, endless delays and endless broken promises. The people of New South Wales deserve better. We have seen four New South Wales roads ministers in the last 18 months. Whilst the history of the three previous state roads ministers does not fill one with confidence that this dismal track record will improve, I hope that new Minister Roozendaal will be an effective agent for change. I welcome his comments that the Pacific Highway debate has become too political and that he is keen to develop better relations with the federal government. The Bonville deviation will provide new Minister Roozendaal with an opportunity to demonstrate whether he speaks with genuine concern or his words are merely empty rhetoric. He has the opportunity to accept the federal government’s offer of $30 million this financial year to fast-track the highway, to get work on the Bonville deviation started immediately, to save time on the completion of the project and, in doing so, potentially save lives.

His predecessor, Mr Tripodi, was the subject of ridicule for failing to take up this offer and allowing the New South Wales Roads and Traffic Authority some six months to assess two tenders for the Bonville deviation, with the companies preparing those tenders being given only 13 weeks to prepare their bids. New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma has finally done something right. By sacking Joe Tripodi he has left the door open for a new approach to the Pacific Highway—an approach which should involve rigorous cost control, a commitment to stringent project management and delivering projects to the public on time and on budget and a focus on selecting routes which are in line with community expectations. It is generally accepted that there are three factors which contribute disproportionately to motor vehicle accidents—namely, speed, fatigue and alcohol. The people of New South Wales, particularly those who regularly travel the stretch which will be bypassed by the Bonville deviation, know there is a fourth factor—that is, inaction by former New South Wales roads minister Joe Tripodi.

New Minister Roozendaal has the opportunity to drive this project forward in a manner his predecessors were unable to achieve. The completion of the duplication of the highway in a timely manner will yield huge benefits to the state of New South Wales and the nation. A completed dual carriageway will yield increased transport efficiency and a reduction in the horrific cost of road trauma. The construction of bypasses will provide improved environmental outcomes for many communities along the route and will achieve a separation of local and through traffic. In 2006 I hope we will see the New South Wales government approach the Pacific Highway upgrade with renewed vigour. I hope they take a leaf out of the book of the federal Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Mr Jim Lloyd, and show total commitment to the Pacific Highway, not just empty rhetoric, by starting the Bonville deviation now and taking up the offer of $30 million to fast-track these works. Time will tell whether Mr Roozendaal’s words are meaningful or nothing more than empty rhetoric.

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