State Budget 2019-20: $1.1bn to be spent on regional road fix to curb unacceptable toll

The State Government is promising to spend $1.1 billion towards infrastructure projects in this month’s Budget. Find out which projects are locked in.

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Regional infrastructure will be a centrepiece of this month’s State Budget, with the Government promising to build $1.1 billion of projects to help reduce road deaths and injuries and boost economic activity.

Premier Steven Marshall has described the promise — made possible by an injection into regional roads by the Federal Government and an increase in South Australian mining royalties — as the state’s biggest ever investment in regional infrastructure.

Mr Marshall and Infrastructure Minister Stephan Knoll have earmarked keys projects around the state worth $1.115 billion, courtesy of state and federal funding.

They will be launched with $440 million over four years, in the Budget on June 18.

Major regional roads to receive infrastructure upgrades include Victor Harbor Rd, Horrocks Highway and Sturt Highway.

A bumpy section of the Horrocks Highway north of Adelaide.

In February, the Sunday Mail revealed regional leaders had joined forces with South Australia’s Local Government Association and the state’s peak motoring body, the RAA, calling for a fix to a crumbling rural road network that they said was risking lives.

It followed a campaign, Fair Go For Our Regions, which included the Sunday Mail and The Advertiser spending weeks in rural and regional South Australia listening to community concerns and aspirations.

Since the start of 2011, 537 people have died on regional roads in South Australia, compared with 285 on metropolitan roads.

Mr Marshall told the Sunday Mail that the road toll was unacceptably high.

“This senseless loss of life on our roads simply has to stop,” Mr Marshall said.

Regional infrastructure will be a centrepiece of this month’s State Budget.

“This is the single biggest investment in regional roads in South Australia’s history, and a true reflection of the value we place on our regions and saving lives on our roads.”

Mr Knoll said the State Government was confident of bringing forward more funding in upcoming budgets.

“The Federal Liberal Government has provided a massive funding stream and we are working furiously to deliver these projects as soon as possible,” Mr Knoll said.

“Last year, the Marshall Government successfully brought forward around $600 million from outside the forward estimates to inside the forwards for projects including the Gawler Line electrification, Pym St to Regency Rd and Joy Baluch Bridge duplication. Now the Federal Government is out of caretaker mode, we have resumed those discussions to again bring more funding inside the forwards like last year.”

Opposition infrastructure spokesman Tom Koutsantonis told The Advertiser this week Labor would be keeping a close eye on how much funding for infrastructure would be included in the forward estimates.

“Whatever is not being spent over the next four years is not real,” Mr Koutsantonis said. “Communities need to know that the money they are being promised is going to be spent.”

Mr Marshall said he was confident the investment would unlock further economic potential, in regional SA, across a range of industries, from agriculture to mining. The State Budget will include contributions to projects announced in April’s Federal Budget for South Australia, including the duplication of Victor Harbor Rd between Main South Rd and McLaren Vale.

“Our commitment, pure and simple, is focused on building productive infrastructure that facilitates growth, productivity and job creation in our regions so that our farmers and entire state can flourish,” Mr Marshall said. Treasurer Rob Lucas’ second State Budget is expected to include significant cuts to cover a $500 million GST shortfall.