After the Liberal Government spent an eye-watering $22 million for overhead traffic signs in Hobart, Transport Minister Eric Abetz owes Tasmanians an explanation about the spend, and an update about when the blank signs will come online.
The signs - which have been sitting blank for months - seem to have no purpose other than to indicate traffic levels and travel times to drivers. Many drivers already have that information at their disposal via smartphone prior to the journey, and travel technology is becoming more accessible by the day.
Even when they are finally turned on, the $22 million signs will have limited benefit in Tasmania. When there's only one road into the city and they're already sitting in the car, there's often not much a driver can do except for joining the traffic queue.
With reckless spending like this, it's no wonder the latest estimates show the Liberals are on track to rack up nearly $10 billion in debt over the next four years. How many potholes could have been filled instead? How many bus drivers could the government have hired?
Minister Abetz has even admitted he has no idea what the signs are for. When trying to explain their purpose to an Estimates Committee the Minister said, "I don't know what the thinking is behind that, but one assumes if you can reduce motorist uncertainty, et cetera, then there may be less road rage et cetera - I don't know, I'm just surmising."
One thing we do know is that every time Tasmanians pass under the signs they will be reminded of this government's wasteful spending habits
Meg Brown MP
Shadow Minister for Transport
