The Hon Barnaby Joyce MP
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development
The Hon Scott Buchholz MP
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport
MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday, 20 April 2022
$33 BILLION BOOST TO MAKE OUR ROADS SAFER AND ECONOMY STRONGER
The Coalition has committed $33 billion over the next four years to improve road safety and help Australians get home sooner and safer.
This includes $65.3 million for a new Heavy Vehicle Rest Areas Program to provide more vehicle rest areas on regional and rural roads, and to improve heavy vehicle rest areas that already exist.
The 2022-23 Budget also established a new $180.1 million Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program to improve safety at level crossings across Australia.
The Coalition has also committed to extend funding for three important road safety programs, including $12 million for the Road Safety Innovation Fund, $10 million for Driver Reviver Site Upgrades and $4 million for Road Safety Awareness and Enablers Fund.
The Federal Liberal and Nationals Government is delivering national leadership on road safety as well as continuing to deliver vital road safety initiatives including the $3 billion Road Safety Program, $5.8 billion Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, $7.2 billion Roads to Recovery Program and the $1.3 billion Black Spots Program.
Today's funding is part of the Coalition's record $120 billion, 10-year infrastructure investment program which is delivering new and existing infrastructure projects across the country and helping to improve safety outcomes.
- Building on our record, a re-elected Coalition Government will continue to deliver more projects in regional areas, where the road fatality rate is disproportionately 10 deaths per 100,000 persons compared to two deaths per 100,000 persons in metropolitan areas.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Barnaby Joyce said the Government was increasing its focus on making Australia's roads safer.
"We must do everything we can to reduce deaths on our roads and spare families from the immeasurable impact these tragedies have," the Deputy Prime Minister said.
"Improving road safety is among our highest priorities. Better roads keep cars and trucks safe, delivering commuters to their destination, and products and commodities to supermarkets and ports.
"Roads are the critical arteries of our nation, not only supporting the movement of people but facilitating the flow of goods and commodities from regional businesses to supermarkets and ports.
"We must not only make roads safer, but more efficient. More reliable roads and freight routes will drive the growth of regional industries and ensure our valuable commodities can be sold to the world.
"So far, the Coalition Government's $3 billion Road Safety Program has delivered safety improvement works to more than 19,000km of the national road network and supported around 12,000 jobs."
Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport Scott Buchholz said the program will benefit heavy vehicle drivers and the broader community by helping tackle fatigue and reducing the risk of crashes and high-risk behaviour.
- "The new Heavy Vehicle Rest Area program builds on existing programs of investment to ensure the viability, safety, sustainability and efficiency of Australia's road transport sector," Assistant Minister Buchholz said.
- "This new funding injection will assist State, Territory and local governments as well as industry to place a greater emphasis on heavy vehicle safety and fatigue management for heavy vehicle operators through investment in heavy vehicle rest stops."
"Infrastructure investment is central to the Coalition's economic plan and these investments are only possible because of our strong record of economic management."
