Oli Peterson: WA state and federal opposition MPs champion urgent next steps for The Outback Way. The shadow assistant minister for infrastructure Senator Matt O’Sullivan can tell you more. He joins me live on 6PR today. G’day Senator.
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: G’day Oly. Thanks for having me on your program.
Oliver Peterson: My pleasure. The Outback Way obviously known as Australia’s longest shortcut. It stretches what? From Laverton here in WA to Winton in Queensland via Uluru and the Alice. Wasn’t there a big, promised upgrade of this Senator and to try and make it safer?
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: Well, and this is the point, Oly. It was essential that this project went ahead, and it was a commitment made by the former Morrison government in 2022. To provide the funding for that route to be sealed. There’s been over $400 million committed to go into Western Australia. The state government at the time actually committed to top it up by a hundred million dollars. Yet nothing has happened in over 3 years.
Now, this is an essential project because as we speak right now, Western Australia only has two sealed bitumen roads into the state. And if you recall last year, there was a flood down on the Nullarbor and there was also a flood up in the Kimberley and it meant that Western Australia was completely isolated. If you recall, we had to have ships coming in, groceries come via ship from Melbourne. So a third route in between Laverton and Uluru, which then joins onto a sealed route, you know, to the country enables a third route to happen. And it’s good for the communities as well along that route. Because it opens up economic opportunity, mining, a whole bunch of resources can be opened up.
But this state government has been sitting on this and nothing’s been happening and it something needs the government really needs to get a wriggle on and deal with it.
Oliver Peterson: So how much of this route remains unsealed, Senator?
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: Well, there’s over 730 kilometres that are still unsealed in Western Australia. Now, the federal government made the commitment at the time to assist Queensland, Northern Territory, and Western Australia to seal sections all the way through to Winton in Queensland, which gives great access through to the North Queensland for freight and other things. Well, Queensland and the Northern Territory have almost finished. They’re almost finished, maybe another couple of years and they’ll be done.
Whereas Western Australia is way behind and there is 736 km just in Western Australia. Now the problem is what they’ll tell you what Main Roads will tell you is that they’ve been dealing with the traditional owners there’s some agreements that are required ILUAs they’re called that are required to enable the project to be able to go ahead.
But out of the three groups that they’re negotiated with two of them already have signed off on it. So why are they not getting on with that and signing the agreement? Ultimately, we need the state government to progress that ILUA so that project can go ahead and it’s going to take several years for it to be developed. It’d be 2032 before it’s completely finished. Well they could start now in the areas where the traditional owners have already agreed and then hopefully by the time they’re ready to move on to those next sections, they’ve got the agreement from the next group.
Oliver Peterson: Well, obviously the Northern Territory in Queensland have been able to come to agreements a little faster. Is there any indication as to why WA is dragging its heels on this, Senator?
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: it is a very good question. There really is no reason. They should just get a wriggle on and the when the local governments were responsible for building the roads as was originally the plan, they just got it done. Whereas now, for the reason since it sat with the state government and main roads, it’s just delayed. It’s been delayed for over 3 years and it’s unacceptable. I mean, we can’t we need that route into Western Australia. We can’t have another season go by where we’re cut off. It’s unacceptable from a security perspective, from a national disaster perspective. We need that extra route. And of course, we need to open up the opportunities for the economy.
Oliver Peterson: Well, it’s a nation building project too, Senator.
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: It is. It’s a and it’s a tri-state commitment, traveling through three different localities and jurisdictions, and it needs to happen. It’s good for the country, it’s obviously good for Western Australia and the sooner we get a wriggle on with this the better it’s going to be. And it’s a great opportunity for local employment as well. I know the locals want to get involved in local indigenous people actually taking up the job of being employed and bitumising it and it’s a terrific opportunity to unlock tourism in that area as well. I’ve actually recently driven it Oly, I drove over in July through to Uluru was it during school holidays and took the family over there and it’s a great experience. But it’s a pretty rough road and you need the sort of vehicle that can traverse it now. Well, let’s bitumise it so anyone can get there.
Oliver Peterson: So, do you reckon it may have something to do with all of the other state backed projects currently under construction, Senator? Do we not have the workforce or the bulldozers available?
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: Well, that is definitely a possibility. Whether with the focus on Metronet and other projects uh the government just haven’t prioritised it. They’ll say that the issue is with the native title agreements but look they’ve just got to get on with it.
Oliver Peterson: And it’s a bit of a narrative, isn’t it, Senator? Particularly for regional Western Australia. It always just seems to be left out.
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: Oh, absolutely. And it looks important. It’s important to all Western Australians. Once a little bit out of sight and out of mind. Okay. Unless you’re planning on doing a trip out there, you might not be thinking about it. But, you know, when our groceries are blocked because we haven’t got the resources on the shelves that we need. And when you’ve got when you got that access, which there’s far more commerce now between us and Queensland we’re not we’re not just completely relying on Victoria and New South Wales now. Having a closer link into Queensland and the Northern Territory is absolutely essential. This is this is an opportunity, but when it’s out of sight, out of mind, maybe it’s just not thought about.
But this is something that Rick Wilson has been championing for a very long time. It’s going to be a great legacy for him when it’s finally complete because he’s been banging on about this for a long time. As have the local governments across the area. Pat Hill is the Mayor of Laverton and he’s been calling for this for over 30 years. Over 30 years. He ought to be given an award for his efforts on this. And look, there really isn’t an excuse. They’ve just got to get on with it. I know the locals want to build it they can be activated and there can be a local workforce. So, workforce isn’t the issue. Maybe there’s been an issue with getting hands-on equipment that’s possible. But given that those demand on those resources is starting to starting to wane, then I think now’s the time to get on with it.
Oliver Peterson: Matt O’Sullivan, thanks for your time today.
Senator Matt O’Sullivan: My pleasure. Thanks, Oly