Pacific Highway Safety

Mr ANDREW FRASER (Coffs Harbour) [11.02 a.m.]: Today I raise again in the House safety on the Pacific Highway. As members would have heard on the six o'clock news this morning, two cars and three semitrailers were involved in an accident on the Pacific Highway south of Coffs Harbour at Macksville, just north of Warrell Creek. One driver was killed and others have been taken to hospital, including one of the semitrailer drivers, who is in shock. It is poignant that today in the Coffs Coast Advocate is an article about the bypass at Warrell Creek and Macksville. The article states:

Nambucca Valley property owners opposing the Roads and Traffic Authority's planned Warrell Creek highway bypass have called for its environmental assessment to be released.

The Roads and Traffic Authority initially requested an environmental assessment in 2003. I understand that the work is able to commence. However, this morning the Roads and Traffic Authority website states in relation to the Warrell Creek bypass "Environmental assessment commenced." In 1996 this Government promised that a dual carriageway between Hexham and the Queensland border would be completed by 2006. In the past three weeks, or less, there have been three deaths on the Pacific Highway between Woolgoolga and Macksville. Following the death at Valla last week I called for an audit of the Pacific Highway, particularly in relation to black spots, and for the identification and upgrade of routes around black spots so that when accidents occur—and tragic accidents occur almost on a weekly basis—motorists can get around them.

In relation to this morning's accident, I understand that heavy vehicles are not yet able to move past the accident site and traffic is still held up as only one lane is open. Over the weekend traffic will be bedlam, and the potential for accidents on this section of road over the next 24 hours will increase dramatically because drivers will be frustrated and tired. This morning an anonymous phone caller informed me that $10 million has been cut from the road maintenance budget for the Pacific Highway—yet again another budget cut. I understand this morning's accident was caused by driver error. When there are budget cuts to road maintenance year in and year out, when the Government breaks its promise to complete the upgrade of this road, when in excess of one death a week occurs on the Pacific Highway, we are in trouble. Those who travel regularly on the Pacific Highway—as does the Acting-Speaker (Mr Thomas George) and all other North Coast members to service their electorates—take their lives in their hands. Heavy vehicle traffic is increasing daily.

In the past the State Government has blamed the Federal Government. Only this week the Federal Opposition transport spokesman advised that the $3.1 billion allocated by the Federal Government has been matched by only $500 million from the State Government. It is now estimated that the road will not be completed until 2016. It is probably one of the busiest roads in Australia, and it is the busiest arterial route in the north of the State. Yet there are funding cuts to road maintenance and deaths occurring week by week. Last week in response to my call for an audit Mr Higgins said we did not need an audit. Out of 677 kilometres of the Pacific Highway between Hexham and the Queensland border only 300 kilometres has been completed. Another 104 kilometres is currently under construction. I welcome these works. Any work saves a life. With dual carriageways, driver error—which I believe caused today's accident—probably would result in a non-fatal accident. I have lost too many friends and constituents in accidents on the Pacific Highway.

I call on the Government to audit the Pacific Highway and to take interim measures at black spots where deaths are occurring to ensure that the chance of fatal crashes is eliminated or minimised. I am fed up with a death a week on the Pacific Highway. In the past fortnight there have been three deaths in just over 10 days. It is not good enough to say that an audit is not required. The Government must repair the road around Nambucca Heads, where an accident occurred last week, and Woolgoolga, as the road has been damaged by the floods. The Government must take these measures so that accidents do not continue to maim and kill people.