LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Sir – Funding for Stage 1 of the Northern Territory section of the Outback Way has today been approved by the Australian Government, as was announced at a function for Parliamentary Friends of the Outback Way event in Canberra, chaired by Outback Highway Development Council chair Patrick Hill.
More than $6.6 million has been approved to seal about 16 kilometres of sections on Tjukaruru Road and the Plenty Highway along the Outback Way route over the next two years.
The Outback Way is a vital artery for the freight and tourism industries in the Territory, providing a transnational link across the heart of Australia, connecting Laverton in Western Australia to Winton in Queensland.
Currently, the roads close for an average of two to seven days after each significant rain event, which is devastating for freight operators and even worse for the remote communities that rely on the route.
Our commitment to the Outback Way will keep more of the route open during the wet season, which will help drive the Territory’s economy over the summer months.
Today’s funding approval is part of the Australian Government’s $20 million commitment to the Outback Way in the Northern Territory, which is being matched by the Northern Territory Government.
Further funding approvals for projects on the Northern Territory section of the Outback Way are expected later this year.
Warren Truss (pictured),
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development.