UPGRADING country roads should be a higher priority for the Liberal Party than a multi-million dollar city car park, according to the Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell.
Mr Bell slammed the party following its $7.5m pledge to a “Park ‘n Ride” facility in order to retain the marginal seat of Hartley, which is being contested by SA-Best leader Nick Xenophon at the upcoming state election.
The independent MP said he would reject any move to fund the facility and would instead focus on regional road infrastructure projects.
“Billions of dollars have been spent on the road network in the city over the past four years,” he said.
“Meanwhile the South East has received very little.
“I will push to redirect the money promised for this new car park towards upgrading our regional road network, such as the Penola Road Bypass, building overtaking lanes and shoulder sealing to make our roads safer between Mount Gambier and Adelaide.
“Before we go building more car parks in the city, we need to address the condition of our country roads and fix the black spots.
“I doubt anyone in the South East would consider a ca rpark in Hartley more important than fixing our regional roads.”
Mr Bell said he was intent on breaking the cycle of city-centric parties ignoring regional South Australia.
“The State Government has just spent $160m on the OBahn in the Hartley area,” he said.
“It’s about time a State government invested in regional roads.”
Mr Bell raised concerns with the Liberal Party’s $750m decade-long regional roads and infrastructure fund, saying the model was unclear in its distribution between roads and infrastructure projects.
“It is not specified how much of that is going to be used in our electorates,” he said.
“That is also an infrastructure fund, so I cannot see whether the mobile phone black spot funding is separate to that or is bundled into the amount.
“My guess is that it is bundled into the same amount of money so we’re actually being ripped off.”
Mr Bell pushed for the establishment of an independent auditor to determine an equitable system of funding.
“I think people are sick of playing politics with this, we have got a backlog of infrastructure work that has been highlighted,” he said.
“We need to get an independent body that is able to identify the top infrastructure projects that need funding so you do not have politicians making decisions in marginal seats.
“You have to take it out of the hands of politicians otherwise you get this pork barreling that occurs and the $160m OBahn is an example of that.
“You cannot tell me the OBahn, which will save people three and a half minutes into the city, is the highest priority infrastructure project in South Australia.”
