UPGRADES of regional roads and transport networks will be a priority for the Liberal government, with $315 million committed across four years through a Regional Roads and Infrastructure Fund.
The fund has been established using 30 per cent of mineral and petroleum royalties and it will help maintain and improve regional transport networks.
Livestock & Rural Transporters Association of SA president David Smith said it was good to see $88.5m committed for an overpass on the Port Wakefield Road.
“That’s a long-awaited announcement, because it’s been on our project wishlist for quite a while,” he said.
Mr Smith said the area was “an accident waiting to happen”.
Primary Producers SA executive chairman Rob Kerin was happy to see an item on his wishlist – $10m for mobile black spot funding – included in the budget.
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“We’ve now got to leverage that money as much as we can with federal money, to get as many towers up as possible, because there’s still a lot of areas not covered,” he said.
Grain Producers SA chairman Wade Dabinett said the organisation welcomed the commitment to review cultivation of genetically modified crops in SA.
“We welcome the retention of SARDI as a standalone unit of PIRSA but we are seeking increased investment in research and development,” he said.
Livestock SA president Joe Keynes said the organisation was pleased to see increased funding for wild dog control.
