Beagle Editor,
Listening to Constance on the radio today and Myne and all the others who have jumped on the wagon to do something about the highway makes me laugh out loud realising that there is an election coming and all the politicians are now running around like blue arsed flies trying to drum up votes.
Constance says he is going to have a talk to his Fed mates. He forgot to tell listeners today he has been boss cocky in Bega since 2003 - that's 15 years and now he decides to have a chat with his Fed mates after everyone else has jumped on the bandwagon - bit late mate. Just for the record back in 2008 New South Wales Government was urged to find additional funds for improving a section of the Princes Highway between Dignman's Creek and Victoria Creek In 2008 the Deputy NSW Coroner said the highway was not to blame for the deaths of 19 people in accidents over three years after examining 15 fatal accidents on the Princes Highway between October 2003 and March 2007. The crashes, included four double fatalities between Yallah and the Victorian border. In the report it says "He stopped short of blaming the condition of the road for the deaths, but said that in many areas the traffic lanes were narrow and there was little or no paved road shoulder.However, he said the dangers of the road had not been overlooked by the Roads and Traffic Authority which had put forward proposed realignment work, but which had not secured funding" It was reported by the ABC that the Member for Bega, Andrew Constance, said the coroner's recommendation showed that state and federal governments have a moral responsibility to fund the overhaul of the highway and that "they have ignored advice about black spots for 25 years and must now act to improve safety". NSW Labor acted on the recommendation and prior to the 2011 election the then NSW Labor Government had gone out to Tender on the Victoria Creek which meant that the project was well and truly underway prior to March 2011. At the same time the planning process and land acquisition in preparation for works at Dignams Creek was well underway. Unfortunately, the incoming Liberal Government decided to scrap the Dignams Creek plan and start the process again. This meant the project had to go back to square one. Dignams Creek residents were upset that the new plan developed by the Libs would mean that the road would encroach on property to the economic detriment of land owners. Significant funds were poured into the new EIS, plan and consultation process. Let's now fast forward to 2018, and 10 years after Andrew Constance made his original statement and Dignams Creek works are still incomplete. In the meantime, Mike Kelly was successful in getting the funding for the Bega Bypass and it was ultimately funded entirely by the Federal Labor Government. The money committed by the State that was not used on the bypass then went to a couple of roundabouts and other minor works on the Princes Hwy. Those other projects were therefore only funded as a result of the savings on the bypass and as they had been tagged for the Princes Hwy were subsequently used for the Moruya roundabout and a couple of other minor improvements. Yep folks, that is how you got the Moruya roundabout. There has been no major works initiated or started by NSW Libs on the Princes Hwy on hot spot areas, in the 7 years since they came in, with the exception of the Batemans Bay bridge plans which has been poorly planned and is yet to be executed. Yours in wanting to get the message out there Labor Voter Name and addressed supplied
