The Tasmanian Liberal Government has placed significant pressure and provided support to maintenance contractors to prioritise road surface repairs following prolonged wet weather and heavy freight volumes, particularly across North and North-West Tasmania.
I have asked Dr Broad to not misrepresent temporary repairs in the wet as being the long term repairs as contractors are awaiting the right weather conditions to effect lasting repairs on sections that need it.
While seasonal, continual, wet weather is a key cause for the road pavement failures, I have insisted through my Department that maintenance contracting arrangements are effective and responsive to issues as they arise.
I expect contracts to be adhered to and if they are not adhered to, then penalties should apply. Fortunately, our contractor has responded to this pressure and support, and has engaged a range of other civil contracting firms to assist them with improving our roads and highways. We thank the many workers who have been involved in the task.
Over the coming weeks and months road users can expect to see a further increase in works crews on State Highways, particularly the Bass Highway, making permanent repairs to the road surface.
Dr Broad has left it very late in the season to raise this matter, noting that the Government publicly aired our disappointment and intervention some months ago.
The travelling public can be assured that the Government is firmly on their side as we invest and build more and better road and bridge infrastructure
More Media Releases from Michael Ferguson
More Media Releases from the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport