Published May 2025
South Australians are driving on increasingly dangerous and deteriorating roads, prompting the State Opposition to call for a significant increase for road safety maintenance spending in the upcoming State Budget. While the Auditor General identified a $2 billion backlog in road maintenance, just a fraction of that is currently budgeted for basic maintenance upgrades, covering works like resurfacing, barrier replacement, and line marking. Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Ben Hood said the Government often obscures maintenance spending behind vague budget lines and project headlines, or in promoting road safety initiatives like speed cameras and speed limit changes. Mr Hood said the 2025–26 Budget is an opportunity for Labor to be honest with South Australians and to show it takes the state’s crumbling road network seriously. “We want to see a dedicated, clearly identifiable allocation for road maintenance in the budget papers - not more smoke and mirrors hidden under capital works and project announcements,” Mr Hood said. “The Liberal Opposition is calling for at least $250 million each year allocated to road maintenance alone if we are ever going to make a dent in the current backlog. “The Malinauskas Labor Government has currently only committed less than half of that, with just $100 million a year budgeted for road maintenance works." Shadow Minister for Road Safety and Member for Bragg, Jack Batty said Greenhill Road has regularly featured on the riskiest roads and residents are fed up waiting for safety to be a priority. “The RAA rates this major arterial road as the fourth riskiest in the metropolitan area, saying the ‘road surface is patchy, uneven, and falling apart, with potholes, tree roots, and undulations causing hazards for vehicles and cyclists alike,” Mr Batty said. “Just ask any local resident and they’ll tell you the road is long overdue for repair and is becoming increasingly dangerous. “Labor has received record windfalls from mobile phone cameras and other revenue raising 'safety' initiatives - it’s time more of that money goes to maintenance rather than filling the Government’s coffers.” Member for Hammond and Shadow Minister for Regional Roads, Adrian Pederick said regional South Australians are bearing the brunt of Labor’s neglect, with drivers dodging potholes, collapsing shoulders and dangerous intersections every day in our regional areas. “The Government finds the money for projects that look good in a press release but is failing to properly fund the maintenance that keeps people safe,” Mr Pederick said. “We’re calling for a long-term plan and meaningful funding to tackle the growing road maintenance backlog, and a clear focus on fixing the worst roads in our regions. “Road maintenance isn’t glamorous - but it saves lives. And right now, Labor is failing to do even the basics.” Mr Hood is calling on the Government to publish an itemised maintenance figure, especially when the cost of inaction is rising year on year. “This Government needs to stop playing games with the lives of South Australian motorists,” Mr Hood said. “They need to show us what they’re spending, commit to lifting it, and prove they’re getting results.” Media Contact: Hayley McDonald 0408 100 373 |
