Primary Producers SA has welcomed this weekend’s pre-Budget announcement of record spending of $1.115 billion on South Australia’s regional and rural road infrastructure.
PPSA Chair Rob Kerin said the increased funding would deliver the dual benefit to regional communities of improved road safety and heightened efficiency across the rural transport network, enabling future industry growth.
“It is pleasing to see an extra $878 million of new funding for regional roads and infrastructure to begin to reduce the backlog of upgrades and maintenance that has been required in recent years,” Mr Kerin said.
“We see this as an investment in the future growth and development of primary production in South Australia because efficient transport infrastructure and freight corridors are integral to operating productive and profitable farming businesses.
“Increasingly, farmers are moving to larger trucks and larger machinery to create efficiencies and upgrades like those announced by the Marshall Government today mean we will begin to have a road network to support continued growth in the farm sector.”
Mr Kerin said any moves to improve road safety would help to curb the state’s current rising road death toll.
“Like many stakeholders in rural South Australia, PPSA has been particularly alarmed at the loss of life on country roads this year. We welcome the increased investment and implore all motorists to drive according to the road conditions and to be safe,” he said.
