Matt O'Sullivan (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Acting Deputy President Sterle, you will be interested to know that I recently had the great privilege of travelling on a large section of the Outback Way—the Great Central Road—all the way through to Yulara. This Western Australian stretch of the well-travelled route is 872 kilometres between Laverton and the WA-NT border. This road cuts through the nation's heartland and is critical. It's the only link that neighbouring communities have to health care, jobs, and trucks moving goods from the eastern and western states through that particular part. In 2022 the Morrison coalition government committed $400 million to a joint funding effort with the state to seal the entire road which, at the time, had 736 kilometres of unsealed section. Fast-forward three years, to where I saw, only a couple of weeks ago, that section is still unsealed.

Three years ago, WA's Minister for Transport said that $112 million was already allocated for works over 147 kilometres, through to 2025-26. We're halfway through 2025—what's the update? Main Roads Western Australia says that design and negotiations are under way. Three years, a combined $678 million, and there is zero progress. This third link into WA—as you would know, Acting Deputy President Sterle, is absolutely vital. Two years ago there was a fire down on the Nullarbor and there was a flood up at Fitzroy Crossing. We saw the Eyre Highway, the Trans-Australian Railway and the Great Northern Highway cut off, and Western Australia was turned into an island. We are to have freight—groceries included—sent all the way by ship from Melbourne and Adelaide.

It is unacceptable. Western Australia deserve better. Australians deserve better. The delays on these projects are unacceptable. This is not what taxpayers expect, and I expect the Albanese government to act with haste and deal with this important issue.