AFTER 10 years of debate, multiple deaths and south-west people naming it as their number one state election issue, no candidate or party has committed to funding a call for $300 million to upgrade the Princes Highway between Colac and the SA border.
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With just two days to go to the state election, both parties have have been urged to commit to duplicate the dangerous and dilapidated highway by a collaboration of the region’s councils.
Independent candidate Mike Neoh has called for the duplication of the highway between Warrnambool and Port Fairy and the Liberal/National state opposition has promised to set up a $1 billion regional and rural fund if elected, but the pledge does not contain any specific commitment to south-west roads.
The Great South Coast Group, comprising Warrnambool, Corangamite, Moyne, Glenelg and Southern Grampian councils, called for the dual highway as part of its priority list in the lead-up to Saturday’s state election.
The group rated the highway as its No. 2 priority behind stage 2 of the Warrnambool Base Hospital redevelopment, which has also failed to attract a specific commitment.
Warrnambool Mayor Tony Herbert said if the region was to reach its full potential the highway had to be duplicated from Colac to the South Australian border.
"We've spoken about the $300 million upgrade to the Princes Highway for a number of years. Now is the time for the leading political parties in Victoria to make a commitment," he said.
"On top of tourism and safety, we have the $2.5 billion south-west agriculture sector supplying the port of Melbourne which is being serviced by a goat track.”
Labor candidate Kylie Gaston said when she has been door-knocking, the main concern raised was the state of our roads.
“I’ve been door-knocking from Nelson to Panmure and it’s roads, roads, roads” she said.
“It’s certainly on people's minds. People want to see improvements and it’s gotten to the point where people are genuinely worried. This government has put in about $40 million over the past four years and so has the federal government too, to it’s credit, but we need to do a lot more.
“We need to have a lot more investment in the area. You can feel that it is coming, it’s on its way. Foxhow Road is a lot better now, Hamilton Highway has certainly improved, Portland certainly has too. It’s really resonating everywhere I door knock, so I’d like to fight hard to see our roads improve across the whole region.”
She said the south-west produced more than a third of the state’s food and fibre products, so the region “deserved better than crappy roads”.
Sitting MP Roma Britnell said the state of the roads was the biggest issue in the electorate.
“It’s number one,” she said.
“People are concerned about their safety. When I see the amount of money that has come to the region and it being wasted – potholes are being fixed five times in three months – it tells me that the current government doesn’t know how to run a business. You have to do things well once. There’s not a margin for wastage in business.”
Cr Herbert said that before the Great South Coast Group there had never been a real plan but the councils were now completely behind the initiative.
"All the municipalities have got behind this and the group's council engineers have worked through the issues," he said.
"The upgrading of the Princes Highway would benefit each city and town in the south-west. Milk tankers are becoming triple-doubles and there are countless timber trucks operating on roads built more than 50 years ago."
Cr Herbert said the drive east along the Princes Highway from Winchelsea to Melbourne was a completely different experience.
"The tension goes, the pressure is off. On top of that Melbourne residents are simply not use to driving at 100 km/h on single lane roads," he said.
"There's dual highways to Ballarat, Geelong, Bendigo and even Moe. It's time the south-west was recognised for the economic impact we have in this state. Up until now that recognition has been lacking.
"We are providing a really poor work environment because our facilities are so lacking. How can we grow our businesses? What we need is the next state government to put its money where its mouth is."
Cr Herbert said Warrnambool may be the most be the most liveable city in the world but was only serviced by a single lane highway to Colac.
"What we are talking about is basic infrastructure. If it was just for tourism it would be necessary but the produce from this region is phenomenal," he said.
"This investment would add to Victoria's high economic growth and status as the economic engine room of Australia. In business terms the infrastructure is currently working against us. This is not just about Warrnambool, it's the whole south-west," he said.
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