‘Danger to life’: Urgent calls for budget road cash

Farmer leaders have warned the nation’s roads are not fit for purpose, calling for more cash in lead-up to next month’s federal budget.

Farmers say the nation’s rural roads are not fit for purpose, with the deluge of rain throughout the eastern states further exposing the state of disrepair.

Falls in excess of 300mm were recorded in northern NSW and Queensland, with more conservative amounts in the Riverina and Victoria – and now the roads are crumbling and falling apart.

Victorian Farmers Federation grains council president Craig Henderson recently travelled to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.

“Victorian roads are by far the worst,” he said.

“There are overhanging branches and roads in disrepair.”

Mr Henderson said parts of the state constantly had speed limits imposed because roads had not been adequately fixed in years.

“This is a danger to life,” he said.

Victorian Farmers Federation grains council president Craig Henderson. Picture: David Geraghty/The Australian.

And within the farmgate, farmers are constantly footing the bill for damaged vehicles due to the poor state of the roads.

With winter sowing underway, airseeders were transported along the deteriorating thoroughfares; in some instances, farmers were taking the “long way around” to get to paddocks to avoid potholes and crumbling edges.

“I’ve seen roads with potholes and tips, and 18 months later, those holes and dips are still there, in the exact same spot, not repaired,” Mr Henderson said.

With the federal budget next month, he said now was the time for farmers to put roads on the agenda and hold the government accountable regarding fuel taxes.

“Only 60 per cent of our fuel tax makes it back to roads,” he said.

NSW Farmers Association president Xavier Martin.

NSW Farmers Association president Xavier Martin of Mullaley in northern NSW said the recent rain highlighted the need for road repair.

GrainGrowers has called for urgent government funding including $100 million in targeted funding to rebuild ageing bridges, an increase in funding for the Roads to Recovery Program to $1 billion per year and $900 million per year for key regional freight corridors.

Further south, roads were still in poor condition, according to Oaklands-based Days Logistics managing director Peter Day.

“It’s just ridiculous,” he said.

“The roads are stuffed before harvest starts, but they didn’t improve before harvest was over.

“Then we’ve got to put up with them for the rest of the year.

“There should be more money come into this area because the roads are being used to cart thousands and thousands of tonnes of grain.”