GrainGrowers chair Rhys Turton said repeated rain and floods had severely damaged critical road infrastructure, exacerbating systemic long-term underfunding of the regional road network, which was straining to cope.
“An efficient rural road network is critical for protecting Australia’s $13 billion grain industry and the broader Australian economy, but we are increasingly seeing growers unable even to access their paddocks to harvest their grain because the roads are so damaged,” he said.
Mr Turton said council-owned local roads made up 87 per cent of Australia’s road network.
“These roads play a critical role in grain freight access, and the simple fact is that many rural councils are struggling to maintain their road networks even before the recent flooding.
“To have a situation where councils say they may be forced to close flood-impacted local roads because they cannot afford repairs is unacceptable. These decisions will have a massive impact on rural communities and severely impact farmers attempting to transport grain.”
Mr Turton said immediate action was also needed to address the rapid deterioration in critical sections of the nationally significant road network, including the Hume, Newell, Calder, and Western highways, which connect grain growers to important domestic and international markets.
“With natural disasters and climate variability having an increasing impact on Australia’s road infrastructure, the adaptability of key freight routes needs to be a priority in the long-term funding model.
“Rather than just patching potholes, the Federal Government must invest in improving the long-term resilience of key grain freight networks.”
Mr Turton said the cost of ignoring the problem and not doing anything was significant.
“We are now at the point where we need immediate action, followed by long-term strategic investment that delivers real returns for rural Australians.”
