THIRD WORLD ROADS A DISGRACE IN BUSH

COUNTRY people are being ripped off when it comes to roads and the time has come for federal, state and local council politicians representing the bush to unite and get some action.

In fact, most of the money being spent on big road projects in this country now go to the main highways. Much the pity.

I’ll give you an example. Recently, I visited Grafton and went out to meet some friends just out of town. I went on to Dinjerra Rd – a 6km stretch that links about 33 families to the Pacific Hwy – about 20km north of Grafton.

It felt like I’d been taken in a time warp to the 1900s.

This dusty and largely corrugated road is a car killer.

Despite repeated lobbying of the local council, it has remained that way for years.

Why is it that in 2018 so many families are subjected to the daily grind of traversing a road that wouldn’t be out of place in Iraq? This is Australia.

My friends churn through a car every two years because of the suspension problems.

If local government is supposed to be the closest form of government to the people, where is the Grafton council on helping its constituents with first world roads? And I’m sure this is a problem from Cooktown to Burnie.

When I covered local councils in the early 1980s, local aldermen prided themselves on making sure even the toughest of terrains had bitumen access.

Nowadays, country and regional folk are being forgotten as governments redirect their priorities.

Local government is about rates, roads and rubbish. Let the Federal and State Governments take care of the bigger picture.

Roads are a vital part of the quality of life enjoyed by people in regional Australia.

Councils have dropped the ball. Travelling long distances is part of living in the bush. Having to put up with Third World roads is not.