Dick Adams (Lyons, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to make a comment about this government’s infrastructure fund and how the needs of Tasmania are already being met by the funding announced for the upgrade of the Midland Highway. The opposition in the state—

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

The opposition in the state has been complaining that we need a four-lane highway all the way from one end of the road to the other and has committed a future federal Liberal government to pay for it. I understand that Shadow Minister Truss has said he would be prepared to commit only $400 million and that not until 2014. The cost of a four-lane highway is more likely to be over $2 billion at the moment, let alone by 2014, when it will probably be a lot more. That is two elections away. Where the money is coming from I do not know, but the Liberals may have found a goldfield in their back garden—or perhaps they are thinking about a toll road.

This government has already started improving the Midlands Highway, beginning with the Brighton hub, which demonstrates a broader approach than just bypassing Brighton as it includes linking into rail and road heavy transport and facilitating a proper transport hub in the south to get some proper planning into the transport system. The system to bypass Brighton will be 9.5 kilometres of four-lane dual carriageway extending from the roundabout at the junction of the Midlands and East Derwent highways to the northern side of Pontville, at a cost of $1.6 million. It will mean a lot of jobs in the Bridgewater-Brighton area too, as well as improvements to Constitution Hill, which have almost been completed. Road planning for the Brighton bypass is also nearing completion and work on the lower end of the Midlands Highway will commence very soon. This will free up this bottleneck and allow a more even distribution of traffic out of the southern points. We also have a rail system being redeveloped, which will help keep a lot of heavy traffic off the Midlands Highway, putting less pressure on tourism traffic and commuters. This is all part of our commitments prior to the last election and is already funded and being delivered.

So talk of a four-lane highway at this stage is not only stupid but unachievable by a Liberal state government. Even their own federal representatives cannot agree that it would be useful to the state. Four lanes will not stop accidents. Many of the accidents have taken place on long, narrow, straight stretches of the road. The accidents might not affect as many people at one time, but accidents will still happen when drivers deliberately or accidentally ignore road conditions, road rules and road hazards.

Compare our system to the mainland, especially areas equivalent in population and country parts of the mainland, where our major highways stack up very well. Frankly, I prefer driving in these areas to doing so in many parts of Victoria and New South Wales. I will continue to work for the betterment of all roads in Lyons. I am very grateful to this government for understanding the real transport needs of Tasmania and addressing them urgently. (Time expired)

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