Grain grower groups say maintaining country roads ‘integral’ as report lays bare poor conditions

Grain grower groups have welcomed the release of a new report that has revealed more than $23 billion of local roads in Australia are in poor condition. The Australian Local Government Association commissioned the 2024 National State of the Asset report, which was released in early July. The report was commissioned with the aim to help councils and communities understand the state of local government infrastructure. Grain Producers Australia chairman and WA farmer Barry Large said regional road maintenance should be a priority. “Investment in roads can never be too much in my opinion, we should always be striving to improve on what we have, and I cannot overstate how important road safety is,” he said. GPA northern region director Matthew Madden said maintaining rural roads was “key” to the wellbeing of rural communities. “The importance of continued maintenance and upgrades cannot be understated, for our regional communities it is critical that road infrastructure keep pace with our on-farm efficiency progression,” he said. “Our regions deserve roads that are safe for families, able to be traversed in most weather and not result in damage to their vehicles. These are basic needs to ensure our communities thrive.” CSIRO transport logistics modelling indicates that transport costs the grain industry $2.1b per year. Eighteen per cent of timber bridges and 6 per cent of concrete bridges are in poor condition, and the estimated cost to bring these bridges up to standard would be $365 million and $1.7b, respectively. Poor road conditions, disjointed and indirect freight routes and bridges with weight restrictions contribute to financial and time costs to growers. GrainGrowers trade and supply chains policy manager Annabel Mactier said well-maintained roads were “vital” for the efficient and safe grain transportation. “Despite managing nearly 77 per cent of the road network, local governments do not raise direct revenues from road users apart from parking fees in some instances. “The current funding model places significant pressure on rural councils, with damaged and deteriorating roads and bridges threatening both the grain industry’s economic productivity and the safety of rural communities.” She said climate variability such as bushfires, floods and droughts in regional areas have impacted unsealed local rural roads which were not designed to withstand the intensity of severe climate events. “As roads and bridges deteriorate, there is a direct impact on industry productivity and safety,” she said. “Poor road and bridge conditions can force temporary speed restrictions or weight limits. These restrictions don’t reduce the total freight task, as grain must still be transported from the paddocks for growers to make a livelihood and our grain to make its way to consumers. “This results in growers making more trips in smaller trucks, reducing efficiency and increasing the overall costs of transporting grain,” she said.