ANOTHER SA REGIONAL ROAD FUNDING FAILURE

South Australia’s local road network is facing a 22.61 per cent funding cut under the Albanese Government, slashing essential support from $78.3 million down to just $60.6 million. Member for Grey Tom Venning has called this funding cut “confusing” with under pressure South Australian councils already struggling to manage what is a vast but crumbling road network. Mr Venning notes that South Australia, despite being home to some of the nation’s most critical freight routes, remains the lowest funded in the nation on a per-kilometre basis under the Commonwealth’s Financial Assistance Grant program.

Mr Venning has highlighted that this looming shortfall stems from the Government’s failure to include the Supplementary Funding for South Australian Local Roads in the forward estimates, a lifeline that has helped correct a historical 1990 funding imbalance since 2004. With the supplementary component already suffering a real term decline of over 20 per cent due to inflation since it was frozen in 2017, this additional funding cut threatens the safety and viability of regional corridors and local infrastructure.

Quotes attributable to Tom Venning MP Member for Grey

“South Australian councils and ratepayers are being shortchanged by the Albanese Government, facing a 23 per cent cut to local road funding next financial year.”

“Even with supplementary funding, South Australia remains the lowest-funded state in the nation on a per-kilometre basis. To be slashing this support now is really confusing.”

“Since 2017, our supplementary road funding has been frozen at $20 million, meaning inflation has already silently cut this vital program by more than 20 per cent in real terms.”

“We are dealing with an allocation formula made at a 1990 conference that drastically under-represents the massive road network managed by our state.”

“I am calling on the Government to reinstate and expand the Supplementary Funding to South Australia for Local Roads in the 2026-27 budget to deliver our communities their fair share.”

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