Tony Pasin (Barker, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Anyone travelling any section of Australia's 880,000 kilometres of road network would have noticed the deteriorating condition of roads right across our nation. It's perhaps not surprising given that, in the first two years of the Albanese Labor government, $27.9 billion worth of infrastructure projects have been either cancelled, cut or delayed, including vital road projects. Not only are motorists failing to receive much needed upgrades to intersections, bridges and highways but the road maintenance backlog is growing. In my home state of South Australia alone, the backlog sits at $3 billion.

Motorists pay significant sums to support the repair and maintenance of our road network. In fact, they're paying more than ever at a time they can least afford it. Over the 12 months to 30 June 2024, transport costs for the typical Australian household rose by 10.5 per cent. This includes, of course, government fuel excise, which now sits at 47.7 cents per litre, yet only 71 per cent of this revenue is forecast to be spent on land transport by 2026-27. Governments demand that motorists drive roadworthy cars. In return, governments should provide roads and ensure they are car worthy. The Albanese Labor government is not holding up its end of the bargain.