Esperance, Kulin and Kondinin to benefit from $8.3m in regional road upgrades

Three of the Wheatbelt’s most “deficient” roads — in the Shires of Esperance, Kulin and Kondinin — will soon be upgraded thanks to an $8.3 million Federal Government cash splash. But a nine-month delay has caused frustration, with O’Connor MP Rick Wilson accusing Federal Labor of leaving farming communities “in funding limbo” for the “essential road projects”. Last April, the three shires were announced among 33 successful applicants to receive funding under the $150m Remote Roads Upgrade Pilot Program, established by the former Coalition Government before it lost the May Federal election to Labor. The funding included $1.24m for improvements to Rollond Road in the Shire of Esperance, $3.07m to seal a 21km stretch of Kulin-Holt Rock Road in the Shire of Kulin, and $4 million to seal 20km of Hyden Norseman Road in the Shire of Kondinin. “The money was included in the 2022-23 Budget, but for months the successful shires in this very competitive roads program heard nothing from Federal Labor,” Mr Wilson said. “The money was budgeted, the shires had been told they’d been successful, but still the Albanese Government dilly‑dallied on delivery.” Mr Wilson said the three shires, which fall under his electorate, finally received draft funding arrangements just before Christmas. “Esperance, Kulin and Kondinin made very compelling and professional cases to the funding agency, as evidenced by the fact that only 33 applicants of 205 nationally were funded,” he said. “The fact these innovative shires, whose hard-working residents contribute so much to Australia’s economy and exports profile, had to wait until late December to receive their funding agreements shows Labor has taken its eye off the regional development ball.” Kulin Shire president Grant Robins said stabilising work on Kulin-Holt Rock Road commenced last year after the funding was initially announced, but then had to be put on hold. “We already had an agreement that the funding was there, and then there was the threat of losing that funding, which was a bit of a concern,” he said. “It did all go quiet for a bit and put on hold, but the current Federal Government has agreed to what was initially proposed, which is good.” Work is expected to recommence in late January or early February. Kulin-Holt Rock Road — part of which is already sealed — is the only link between the Kulin townsite and the eastern part of the Shire. Mr Robins said it was mainly used for freight and the transport of hay and grain from local farms. “It’s a central route within our Shire, basically. Whether you call it fortunate or unfortunate, we don’t have a State road that runs through our Shire in that direction,” he said. “The graders are pretty regularly out there maintaining that road.… and it is a high cost to maintain it with the amount of traffic that’s on there. “It’s good that the Feds are supporting us… because the cost of doing that sort of road construction now is getting beyond the means… of any of the smaller shires, and maybe even the larger shires. You can get a bit done each year but it’s very hard to do a big lump at once.” The Shire of Dandaragan, in WA’s Mid West, is also set to benefit from a $4.17m upgrade to Agaton Road. The RRUPP is intended to fund improvements to key regional roads where “significant deficiencies” pose safety risks, limit community access and hinder economic development. Queensland had the most successful applicants under the pilot program, with 12 shires set to share in nearly $62.26m of funding for 13 projects. NSW was next with nine projects worth $33.33m, followed by WA with four projects worth $12.49m, Tasmania with three projects worth $13.33m, Victoria with two projects worth $21.04m and South Australia with two projects worth $7.41m. Mr Wilson called on the Federal Government to expand the pilot program into a permanent funding stream. “In due course, the Federal Government should fund an ongoing round of the program to demonstrate that Labor’s mainly metropolitan members are aware of the priority infrastructure requirements of their country cousins who play a large role in feeding the nation,” he said.