Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to highlight the appalling road toll on the Princes Highway east of Sale and the need for additional funding to improve the safety of the road environment. Since 2004, there have been 24 fatalities and countless accidents and serious injuries on the highway stretching from Sale to the New South Wales border. The safely of local residents and visitors to East Gippsland is being compromised by the condition of the highway.

I am not the only person to hold this view. The RACV has repeatedly called on state and federal governments to increase funding for upgrading the highway, given its current two-star and three-star ranking under the AusRAP—the Australian Road Assessment Program. The star ratings highlight the failure to improve safety on this stretch of highway and, as AusRAP has indicated in previous reports, safer roads have the potential to save as many lives as safer vehicles and improved driver behaviour combined.

There is widespread concern within the East Gippsland community that funding for the Princes Highway has been diminished as a result of a strategy to upgrade an alternative route between Bairnsdale and Nowa Nowa. The concerns have been exacerbated by a number of serious accidents, particularly on the approaches to Lakes Entrance from both directions. In particular, there are concerns with the alignment of sweeping bends, the placement of overtaking lanes and the road surface itself. There are sections of the highway, particularly east of Orbost, where there are no shoulders on the sides of the road and the road surface is in an appalling condition.

Too many people are losing loved ones on East Gippsland’s roads. I repeat my appeal to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government to work with my community to have the highway listed as a Road of National Importance to help secure additional funding for much-needed road safety upgrades. The stress and trauma of road accidents affects vast numbers of my community. I call the minister to work with the people of Gippsland.