Legislative Council, Tuesday 4 November 2025
Ms FORREST question to MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE and TRANSPORT, Mr VINCENT
Landowners along Illawarra Road remain concerned about the Department of State Growth’s plan to convert this agricultural corridor into a highway-standard freight route. The 2015 reclassification of Illawarra Road into a national network to a highway network occurred without consultation or assessment of suitability. Since the Perth Bypass opened travel times savings are negligible. The road is still promoted as the preferred route between the northern ports and Hobart instead of the existing Bass and Midland highways, which are designated for the purpose. Illawarra Road is a working rural corridor used starting for moving machinery and stock. Overtaking lanes beside property entrances and turns will force tractors and stock trucks to move across three lanes of 100 kilometre an hour traffic, an obvious safety hazard. Allowing a heavy freight vehicles on this road greatly increase the collision risk. Safety options such as the 80 kilometre per hour limit, a centre turning lane or widening of the Bass Highway under parks have been ignored.
My question to the minister is, will the minister order an immediate safety and risk assessment of the Illawarra Road upgrade, meet with landowners on site and review the project’s cost benefit and viability to determine whether continuing this over budget, high risk project remains justified?
ANSWER
Mr President, yes Illawarra Road has been a very large part of what I’ve needed to look at since taking on the ministry some 12 months ago. I have also been out and visited three of the main farmers in the area and had one-on-one conversations with them. I have also been in discussions with the Department of State Growth and the deputy secretary who has also been out there directly involved with talking to the people and those conversations are continuing to take place. For as long as I can remember, as originally a Devonport/Latrobe boy, Illawarra Road has been the shortcut, and it was worked out as part of the national road structure for heavy transport that needed an upgrade. The first part of that project from the boundary of Meander Council out to the highway is under construction now and widening of that. The power poles, I understand, have been moved this week to allow for the widening to occur now.
Ms Forrest – To the Bass Highway you are talking about?
Mr VINCENT – Yes, out to the Bass Highway from the Meander Municipal boundary through and there are a couple more sections done. A couple of years ago the Longford roundabout was part of that process, and another section is up the top that most people know because of all Hugh McKinnon’s strawberry and raspberry shells there. There are some major safety issues with that section of road. I can assure you that discussions are still taking place with the owners. It is a vital part of the structure through there and the road is already being used by these heavy transport operators, therefore the safety and the upgrades of the road are required to meet a standard.
The Commissioner for Road Safety – I think I have that term right or transport – has been out. That is why the speed limit was addressed on our request for it to have a look. She has gone out to have a look and the decision she makes is totally independent. We will continue our discussion for those farmers there.