State Roads Emergency

Warrumbungle Shire Council supports Local Government NSW (LGNSW) for a declaration of a State Roads Emergency in NSW and for an urgent increase in funding to address the collapse of the roads network.

“Council is in full support of this declaration from LGNSW as Council’s entire regional and rural road network of 2,370km has been affected by these natural disasters, said Warrumbungle Shire Council Mayor, Councillor Ambrose Doolan. 

“Mayors and councillors from across Australia joined various local government groups, including LGNSW, to attend the National Local Roads and Transport Congress in Hobart,” said Cr Doolan. “The Congress highlighted what communities across NSW are experiencing as a consequence of successive natural disasters, coupled with chronic funding constraints resulting in the collapse of local and regional road networks across many parts of NSW.”

“Warrumbungle Shire Council also supports calls upon the NSW and Commonwealth Governments to urgently increase existing funding commitments to address the collapse of the roads network. In addition to funding, councils across NSW require resources in the form of plant machinery and a labour force to repair roads,” said Cr Doolan.

“The combined Natural Disaster events in the Warrumbungle Local Government Area beginning in November 2021 have resulted in massive claims for assistance with road repairs of almost $14M. This is just the November 2021 Natural Disaster, there has now been two more natural disasters declared in the Warrumbungle LGA,” Cr Doolan explained. 

With harvest commencing and other supplies needing to be freighted the wider rural communities supporting Australia’s food bowl are on their knees, waiting for the road network to be repaired. The disaster facing NSW communities is without precedent and an unprecedented response is required.

To find out more information about the Warrumbungle LGA Natural Disaster Declaration for the road network visit Council’s website under the ‘Road Updates’ tab. 
Click here to download media release

Last Updated: 22 Nov 2022