September 14, 2022
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington says road fatality statistics published this week for her electorate can no longer be ignored by the State Government.
The data, compiled by the RACQ, show the Nanango electorate has topped the list for road deaths in Queensland.
Between January 1 and July 31, 13 people died on Nanango roads, followed by Mirani (10), Burdekin (9) and Condamine (7).
Several major roads pass through the Nanango electorate, including the D’Aguilar, Burnett, Bunya, Brisbane Valley and Wide Bay highways.
“With every fatality, a family suffers unimaginable loss,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“We must remember that these statistics only count those who have lost their lives. There are many more who are injured and incapacitated in these accidents who will endure a lifetime of suffering.
“The statistics compiled by RACQ paint a damning picture of road safety across the Nanango electorate.
“In 2021, the region was the second worst in Queensland, and now we have unfortunately risen to become the worst in Queensland.
“I recently spoke in Parliament about the chronic neglect of State-controlled roads across the electorate but I was shut down by the Minister for Transport and Main Roads (Mark Bailey) who didn’t want me reminding the government about the huge road maintenance backlog.
“Statewide the backlog on State-controlled roads has blown out to $5.7 million, with the Auditor-General forecasting that our maintenance backlog would grow to $9 billion this decade. This chronic neglect of our regional road upgrades means our roads continue to deteriorate.
“Our communities need confidence in their road network to know they can safely travel to work, drive their truck to market or send their kids on the school bus.”
Mrs Frecklington said she was continuing to push for more funding for local highways and key connecting roads and bridges including:
- Tanduringie Creek Bridge (Kingaroy-Cooyar Road), GS Bond Bridge (Chinchilla-Wondai Road), Running Creek Bridge (Woolooga-Brooweena Road) and Cooyar Bridge (New England Highway); and
- Mundubbera-Durong Road, Kingaroy-Barkers Creek Road, Kilkivan-Tansey Road, Memerambi-Gordonbrook Road and Byee Road
“Unfortunately, these roads are never a priority for this State Government, but this must change and I implore them to look at these statistics and what is blatantly obvious – our regional roads need urgent funding to make them safe,” Mrs Frecklington said.
Road maintenance that doesn’t include pouring tar on the roads and throwing stones at it will be a good start. The D’Aguilar Highway is an absolute pothole-ridden disaster, as is the Wide Bay Highway. Putting patches over patches clearly doesn’t work.