Rick Wilson (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Building and maintaining better and safer roads is something that's incredibly important to the Turnbull government, and to me personally, given the massive amount of time I spend on the road in my enormous electorate of O'Connor. As you would know, Mr Deputy Speaker Coulton, roads are the lifeblood of our local communities; in the case of O'Connor, transporting agricultural produce and minerals to market and international ports. They also connect or our regional, rural and remote families and communities, who are separated by vast distances. They invite tourists to explore our rich and diverse historical, cultural and natural assets and to experience our fantastic local produce.

I'm pleased to announce that my electorate of O'Connor will be made safer for residents and tourists alike thanks to the $122 million federal government investment over five years under the Roads to Recovery program. This financial year alone will see over $27 million invested into local governments in my electorate. This money couldn't come soon enough, given that the new WA Labor government have made huge cuts to roads funding in the short time that they have been in office.

This federal funding will assist the regions by ensuring that local roads get much-needed safety upgrades and repairs which will, ultimately, save lives. Roads to Recovery allows local governments, who have the local knowledge, to direct funding where it's most needed. Our councils do such a great job already, but they rely on Roads to Recovery funding to ensure improved road safety for their local communities. During my travels, I have seen firsthand the real benefits that this program provides to our regional communities. I'll be a strong advocate for the continuation of Roads to Recovery into the future.