Five major South Australian infrastructure projects have been abandoned by the Federal Labor Government, in a devasting blow for the state – particularly regional SA.
Almost $400 million worth of funding has been axed, leaving the following projects on the road to nowhere:
- Hahndorf Township Improvements and Access Upgrade
- Main South Road Productivity Package
- Old Belair Road Upgrade
- The Onkaparinga Valley Road – Tiers Road – Nairne Road Intersection Upgrade
- Truro Freight Route
Leader of the Opposition, David Speirs, said the news is incredibly disappointing and shows Peter Malinauskas isn’t prepared to stand up to Canberra for South Australia’s interests.
“This announcement is devastating for South Australia and proves Labor has completely turned its back on our regions,” Mr Speirs said.
“These projects would have brought incredible benefits to our state and it’s unacceptable they’ve come to a screeching halt due to these short-sighted funding cuts from Labor.
“South Australians were told with both state and federal Labor in government Peter Malinauskas would stand up to his Canberra colleagues for the best interests of our state – but he’s just waved the white flag.
“It’s clear Peter Malinauskas isn’t fighting hard enough for South Australians – he must strongly advocate for SA and campaign to get this funding back on the table.”
Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Vincent Tarzia, said the cuts disproportionately impact South Australia’s regions at a time we can least afford it.
“Upgrades to country roads are vital to improve productivity and safety – especially as we near almost a hundred lives lost on our roads, with well over half of those tragedies occurring in country areas,” Mr Tarzia said.
“To lose the Truro Freight Route is a huge blow to the state, as it will damage long-term productivity in the region and only exacerbate safety concerns.
“Abandoning these critical infrastructure projects is not just a setback for South Australia, but a betrayal of our regions.
“Labor and Peter Malinauskas need to lose the city-centric attitude and start to fight harder for regional South Australia.”
