Latest News

Recently Civil Train SA met with the Project Manager, Traffic Services and Road and Marine Services from the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT), to discuss the extension of our current Deed as an approved training organisation. Civil Train SA would like to clarify some confusion with the current training requirements as they may differ to what you may have previously experienced in South Australia. The key areas often queried is the renewal process of gaining re-accreditation; please see below for information sought.

• All South Australian Work Zone Traffic Management (WZTM) cards are valid for three years from the date of successful completion of training. Cards produced in more recent years display a ‘Renewal Date’. A course must be conducted prior to the renewal date expiring; if your card has expired, you will need to requalify by completing a full WZTM training course – the full two-day WZMT course.

Unfortunately there is no leeway with course bookings, you cannot book a refresher course after your expiry date; it needs to be completed prior i.e. in South Australia, there is no leeway on vehicle licence expiry. If you drive at 1 minute past midnight the day after it expires, you will get fined if caught.

• ·         If your renewal date has not passed, you will be required to attend a WZTM Refresher course to gain your next three-year accreditation.

·         INTERSTATE QUALIFICATIONS – a bridging course is required for people moving from other regulatory jurisdictions to enable them to be accredited within South Australia and to ensure they are compliant with the different workzone traffic management rules and conditions applied across South Australia. To complete this bridging course the learner must show they have successfully completed the units listed below and that their WZTM card is current. It should be noted training providers may have specific entry requirements to the one-day refresher including current industry experience. If a learner is unable to meet the requirements they will need to complete a full WZTM training course.

• o   RIIWHS205E – Control Traffic With a Stop/Slow Bat, and
• o   RIIWHS302E – Implement Traffic Management Plan

Currently DIT is reviewing the Interstate Bridging Course delivery method and are researching the possibility of online processes instead of a face-to-face course requirement. The bridging course will be designed to cover the subtle differences in legislation and signing in South Australia.

Please be vigilant of your team’s traffic WZTM renewal dates and if you need any further assistance in clarifying your requirements or obtaining your renewal please contact our Civil Train SA team for more information

Courses@ccfsa.com or 08 8111 8001

About the Heysen Tunnels

Named after artist and benefactor Sir Hans Heysen, the Heysen Tunnels were constructed as part of the $151 million Adelaide to Crafers Highway Project.

These tunnels carry the South Eastern Freeway (part of the National Highway network linking Adelaide to Melbourne and signed as National Highway M1) under Eagle On The Hill in the Mount Lofty Ranges in South Australia.

In 1998, the tunnels were excavated through a steep hill using a 50 tonne SW200 tunnelling machine, which was a first for South Australia. Approximately 100,000 cubic metres of rock was excavated from each 500 metre long tunnel.

Costing a total of $151 million, it was funded by the federal and state governments.

The tunnels were opened on Sunday, 5 March 2000, with each constructed to carry three lanes of traffic.

The maximum height of vehicles permitted in the tunnels is 5.3 metres, the same as the Crafers and Mt Osmond interchanges. Laser height detectors monitor traffic to provide warnings to drivers before they attempt to enter the tunnel.

As of 2018, more than 50,000 vehicles pass through the tunnels daily.

In June 2020, it was announced that as part of the Marshall Government’s $1 billion economic stimulus package, $15 million has been allocated to refit and upgrade safety for the Heysen Tunnel. At the time of the announcement, the completion date for the project would be in late 2021.

Read what commuters have to say about the tunnels on their 21st birthday celebration at https://www.facebook.com/DFITSA/

https://www.facebook.com/DFITSA/

One of South Australia’s most influential industry lobby groups has called for greater transparency and collaboration between industry, government and the peak infrastructure agency to ensure the State maximises future opportunities to have major construction projects listed for priority funding in State and Federal Budgets.

The appeal was made today by the Civil Contractors Federation (SA) and followed the release this morning by the Federal Infrastructure Australia (IA) group, of its latest priority list of projects and initiatives around the country recommended for future Budget funding considerations.

Federation Chief Executive, Ms Rebecca Pickering, said the CCF (SA) welcomed the recognition by Infrastructure Australia in its 2021 list of the largest number of new proposals for South Australia in the list’s five-year history.

The CCF (SA) made a direct submission to Infrastructure Australia and says it is p0leased a number of projects nominated by it have now been included in the latest Priority List.

“In parallel with that, however, the CCF (SA) is a strong advocate for transparent future collaboration with industry, State Government and the independent advisory body, Infrastructure SA, to ensure new South Australian infrastructure projects are continually identified, submitted and shared with every South Australian,” Ms Pickering said.

“This will reverse the trend of recent years where SA projects received insufficient attention by IA.

“In order for today’s six identified SA initiatives to be transformative for South Australia, government agencies must engage with industry immediately to plan the delivery of these projects and those already listed as part of the record $16.8 billion committed in principle by government to SA’s future infrastructure needs.

“Today’s announcement of State Government $100m in road upgrades to commence immediately, including sections of the Horrocks, Riddoch, Eyre and Augusta Highways, is positive.

“However, a reliable and steady project release to market is critical during these unparalleled times. SA’s civil industry is mobilising to support current and future needs of our great state and it needs reliable projects to be released to maintain momentum and support growth.”

Ms Pickering said it was pleasing that SA’s road maintenance backlog (estimated to be worth at least $700m+) has now been recognised as an IA High Priority Initiative.

“The Federation has been advocating for this for several years and future Budget allocations could see a large improvement in SA’s road safety, while creating jobs in our State and building our local economy,” Ms Pickering said.

“Earthmovers, road constructors, pipelayers, road maintenance, traffic control, mobile plant operators and other civil business are digging deep for South Australia to deliver these projects, and the industry’s uptake of new Civil Apprenticeships is evidence of this.

“We celebrate today’s good news but promises need to translate into tangible, well planned projects. The CCF (SA) is committed to work with all stakeholders to ensure new projects and opportunities are continually presented to funding bodies.”

An experienced executive in the construction sector and industry lobbying, Ms Rebecca Pickering, has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of influential South Australian lobby group, the Civil Contractors Federation (SA).

Ms Pickering’s appointment follows an extensive national search, following the resignation, after nearly nine years, of its well respected CEO, Mr Phil Sutherland.

Ms Pickering comes to the position with considerable experience in both the construction sector and industry association work. This has included several years with the Master Builders Association in SA, and more recently the CCF (SA) as Director Apprenticeships, Group Training, and Industry Employment.

The President of the CCF (SA), Mr Paul Davison, said today that the CCF (SA) Board had every confidence that under Rebecca’s leadership, the Federation will continue to strongly represent the interests of the State’s civil contractors and deliver services of benefit to its membership.

“Pleasingly, we had a large field of high-quality applicants, but Ms Pickering was the stand-out candidate who was able to set out a very clear pathway forward,” Mr Davison said.

“We are confident that under her leadership, the CCF (SA) will maintain our position as the peak body representing civil contractors.

“Given Rebecca’s unique skills set and experience, we will see our very significant training operation, Civil Train, and our interest in Apprentices through our Group Training Organisation, continue to grow and develop.     

“Over the years, the CCF (SA) has achieved many successes. Appointing a woman to be the CCF (SA) CEO sends a valuable message to our industry about the contribution women can make at all levels of SA’s civil construction industry.”   

For clients in South Australia, today’s news of a full lockdown has come as a shock. For businesses, questions arise as to what this means for employees.

Note: the below information is general in nature and relates solely to the ‘default’ stand down provisions set out in the Fair Work Act 2009. Employees who are covered by a contract of employment or enterprise agreement that provides differently may have different entitlements.

An employer may stand down an employee in circumstances where they are not able to be usefully employed – relevantly – due to causes beyond the employer’s control. A government enforced total lockdown affecting a business comfortably meets the test of a cause beyond the employer’s control. However, before making the decision to stand a person down, consideration must be given to whether or not the person can be “usefully employed”. This is an area that requires some consideration.

There is limited case law on what is meant by ‘usefully employed’ although the general rule of thumb is that the benefit received from the work must be more than the cost of paying the person to do so. Similarly, an employer is not required to substantially reorganise their workplace to create useful work. In most cases, this assessment will be obvious. For example, the closure of building sites makes it unlikely that on site workers would be able to be usefully employed. However, where work from home is available, consideration needs to be given to whether and, if so, how much, valuable work a person can perform. An employee required to process payroll may be able to be usefully employed to do this but if no work is performed, the following week may not be able to be usefully employed. A case by case assessment is required for unilateral stand down.

Employees are taken to not be stood down when they are on a period of authorised leave or other absence. It is generally accepted that an employee should be able to access accrued annual leave, long service leave or rostered days off unless there is good reason for them not to. Note that subject to specific provisions in awards/enterprise agreements or contracts of employment, an employee cannot be ‘forced’ to take a period of leave – it must be by agreement. Specific advice should be sought before issuing any direction to take leave or any refusal to grant a period of annual leave. Access to sick leave is generally not available although this is complicated, and specific advice should be sought.

Where there is an agreement between employees and employers (eg. an agreed stand down, or period of leave), many of the complexities outlined above can be overcome or minimised. As a result, it is strongly recommended that clients aim to work cooperatively with staff to make suitable arrangements, especially for the next 6 day period. For the most part, employees will have similar concerns such as child minding etc. which they will need to accommodate. These arrangements should be recorded in writing, such as a brief email. Although there is the ability to reach agreement employers should bear in mind that this is not ‘carte blanche’ and employment laws still apply. Accordingly, advice should be sought in relation to any specific agreement.

Employees who are stood down are not entitled to be paid, but will continue to accrue leave entitlements as usual. Employers who engage daily hire employees may consider terminating daily hire engagements although specific advice should be sought before taking this step as it is a termination of employment.

It is hoped that this is the end of the process but no-one can predict the future and should lockdown continue to affect your business after that time, it is also strongly recommended that employers revisit these arrangements regularly – perhaps weekly, or sooner if circumstances change.

Note that for employers who are currently on Jobkeeper, an employer would also need to pay the Jobkeeper amount. It is also noted that the effect of this lockdown may also entitle employers to Jobkeeper amounts and it is recommended that businesses discuss this with their accountant.

Disclaimer: the information above is general in nature only and specific advice should be sought in relation to a business’ specific circumstances. It is noted that awards, enterprise agreements and contracts of employment can impact on the above matters.

Note: the Fair Work Lawyers office will remain open (remotely) throughout this time and be able to respond to client queries. The contact details for our solicitors are:

Tom Earls            0409 939 010     tom@fairworklawyers.com.au

David Putland    0419 839 125     david@fairworklawyers.com.au

Emma Avey        0413 474 428     emma@fairworklawyers.com.au

Ethan Callan       0431 557 350     ethan@fairworklawyers.com.au

Sara Pekmez      0479 177 685     sara@fairworklawyers.com.au

Today Treasurer Rob Lucas delivered the 2020/21 State Budget, and CCF SA believes the Treasurer has struck an appropriate balance between a government being fiscally responsible and providing the necessary stimulus to resuscitate the economy during and following the fires and the pandemic, while also providing long term sustainable growth. 

This budget makes some in roads into a large road maintenance backlog and upgrading road networks that are very much out of date.  This also includes money for the states bridges, many of which are over a hundred years old and in urgent need of repair. 

It's also pleasing to see the budget acknowledges the importance of our regions and coastal precincts including jetties and road maintenance.

Small business, VET and tradies also receive additional incentives which will see a positive difference to the industry.

To view the overview of the budget, click here

The South Australian Government has also announced that the hybrid option is the preferred way to deliver the T2D Project, which will see a combination of tunnels, lowered and ground-level motorways, as well as overpasses / underpasses at key intersections to successfully complete the free-flowing transport route.

To see more about the concept design, and to register for updates, click here

Upgrades to one of Adelaide’s most renowned retail routes, a century-old waste dump site and one of the city’s most heavily trafficked rail intersections have dominated the winners’ list at the 2020 South Australian Earth Awards.

The honours represent excellence in civil construction across the State and were achieved this year despite the unprecedented challenges for the sector imposed by COVID restrictions on contractors’ movements and supply chain disruptions.

The Awards were announced at a ceremony in Adelaide last night (Friday 16 Oct).

Civil Contractors Federation (South Australia) Chief Executive, Mr Phil Sutherland, said the outperformance evident across the project winners is testimony to the skillsets retained within the sector and now on offer to drive Australia and South Australia’s post-COVID economic resurgence.

“At every political level, shovel-ready infrastructure works are being seen as a cornerstone for the pace and scope at which regional and state economies recover from the lingering impacts of COVID,” Mr Sutherland said.

“In SA, where the CCF (SA) has lobbied hard for higher State and Federal funding for priority projects, we have an opportunity to employ hundreds of additional people over the next 12-18 months.

“The Earth Awards mirror how good this sector is in SA – now it is time to capitalise on the richness of this immediately available resource within our broad civil construction community.”

This year’s winners, and a brief project description of each, are as follows:

EARTH AWARDS 2020 WINNERS            

CATEGORY             COMPANY                                   PROJECT NAME

UP TO $2M              DOWNER EDI Works                  Mangrove Street Rail Upgrade

$2M - $5M               Coleman Rail Pty Ltd,                Port River Rail Bridge Pile Remediation

Department for Planning,

Transport and Infrastructure,

Quakewrap Pty Ltd,

Concrete Remedi8 Pty Ltd        

                   

$5M - $10M              McMahon Services Australia     Hamilton Hill Stages 1, 2, 3A, 3C and 4

                                                                                     Remediation Earthworks                  

                   

CATEGORY             COMPANY                                   PROJECT NAME    (continued…)

$10M - $30M            BMD Constructions                     King William Road Upgrade

$30M TO $75M        Department for Environment    SARFIIP – Katarapko Floodplain

and Water, SA Water, Fulton     Inundation Measures

Hogan Construction                                      

                   

Over $75M              PTPA (Public Transport             Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation

Project Alliance)                                                                                                          Department for Infrastructure

and Transport, McConnell

Dowell, Mott Macdonald,

Arup   

Mangrove Street Rail Upgrade - Salisbury

The Mangrove St Rail Upgrade at Salisbury upgraded exhausted road-pavement, poor drainage and an at-risk section of railway track traversing through Mangrove St. The City of Salisbury, Downer and WGA went through a vigorous design process to come up with an innovative and sustainable solution that met all design objectives and budgetary requirements. The pavement design differed from traditional construction methods, building up the road level by utilising the existing pavement as a base and constructing on-top new kerb and gutter and asphalt layers enhanced with pavement reinforcing technologies. The rail design consisted of a re-alignment of the track to increase the safety of the bend through the level crossing.

King William Road Upgrade - Unley

The transformation of the iconic King William Road, saw BMD preserve the precinct’s unique village identity while delivering a flexible and functional streetscape. The popular retail and restaurant precinct has more than 240 stakeholders including 109 traders, and hosts up to 5,000 visitors, and close to 15,000 vehicles within the precinct each day. Strategies to minimise inconvenience were integral to both planning and delivery. BMD constructed the project in four stages, involving complex service relocations, intersection upgrade works, new segment paver traffic lanes with deep lift asphalt base courses, new roll kerbs and segmental paver shared use areas, landscaping, street furniture, electrical works and smart lighting.

Katarapko Floodplain Inundation Measures - Riverland

The South Australian Riverland Floodplains Integrated Infrastructure Program (SARFIIP) is a Commonwealth-funded program consisting of a number of priority construction projects involving infrastructure at the Pike and Katarapko floodplains between Loxton and Renmark in the Riverland. The projects were managed by the South Australian Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and delivered in partnership with SA Water, with Fulton Hogan as lead contractor. The works improved the area’s ecological health by maintaining a more natural pattern of flooding frequency, facilitating targeted management of surface water for environmental outcomes, reducing floodplain salinisation and managing salinity impacts on the River.

Port River Rail Bridge - Ethelton

The Department for Infrastructure and Transport engaged Coleman Rail to undertake the remediation of 144 square concrete piles supporting the Port River Rail Bridge originally constructed in 1910 and adjacent Bower Road at Ethelton. This was a challenging and complex project requiring works over water and a sensitive dolphin sanctuary and under the live Outer Harbor rail line with no disruption to train services. Works included inspection and verification of the required repairs, water blasting of the piles, engineering of a suitable remediation system that would provide the piles with an additional 50 years of design life, and development of a suitable system to access the worksite, which required working over and in a tidal waterway.

Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation – Oaklands Park

The Oaklands Crossing Grade Separation project grade separated the road and rail networks to improve operation and safety of the traffic and rail network and public transport and passenger access. The project was designed and constructed by the Public Transport Projects Alliance, PTPA, comprising McConnell Dowell, Arup, Mott MacDonald and Department for Infrastructure and Transport. Project delivery within a compressed 16 month timeframe incorporated an offline construction methodology minimising road and rail disruption and showcasing the successful integration of urban greening, people connectivity and sustainability within a typically hard engineered infrastructure project, for a safer and more inviting station precinct.

Hamilton Hill - Woodforde

The project transformed a 100-year-old waste dump into a new master planned community in Adelaide’s foothills. McMahon Services in partnership with environmental and geotechnical consultants, developed an achievable and realistic construction management plan and a detailed profile and map of all the waste across the site. These thorough and upfront investigations allowed McMahon Services to develop programs, staging and methodologies that mitigated or managed onsite risks, and allowed for a delivery schedule that effectively eliminated double-handling of materials. The Company crushed, sorted and segregated 500,000 tonnes in waste streams within the old dump site so that they could be repurposed and reused as geotechnically suitable materials to allow the bulk earthworks and reshaping of Hamilton Hill to make it suitable for residential construction.

The Civil Contractors Federation (South Australia) has welcomed the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery Budget and described it as a very impressive suite of stimulus measures bound to have a positive effect on the circumstances of many South Australians, businesses in South Australia and the State.

The Civil Contractors Federation (SA) also is pleased to see A$1billion allocated to local councils nationally for road upgrades.

Welcome also is the announcement of A$2 billion for new water infrastructure to support regional communities and jobs.

Federation Chief Executive, Mr Phil Sutherland, said however, that when it came to the cash contribution of $625 million towards SA’s road infrastructure, more could have been allocated from the national roads budget of $10 billion.

“While $625 million is a great deal of money, when compared with the estimated $800 million back log of road maintenance in SA, it will not make much of a dent in the SA’s road network,” Mr Sutherland said.

“Its been described as an economic recovery budget but at least half of the $625 million destined for SA road projects are not shovel ready - with construction likely to be two or three or more years away.

“While SA is to share in the $2 billion road safety funding program, it is of concern, given the slow pace of the SA Department of Infrastructure and Transport bringing projects to the market, that the money is available on a use-it or lose-it basis.

“The CCF (SA) hopes this provides the Department with the sense of urgency required.

“The South Australian Government must bring forward the shovel ready projects now.

“It is crucial we do not drag our feet on this,” Mr  Sutherland said.

 “The $1 billion allocated to local councils for road maintenance is another excellent way to stimulate the economy instantly, with most councils in South Australia having shovel ready projects on the back burner waiting for funding,” he said.

The South Australian road projects receiving funding priority in the Budget, are as follows:

South Australia

New Projects

Project	Federal Funding	Total Cost
Hahndorf Township Improvements and Access Upgrade	$200 million	$250 million
Main South Road Duplication Stage 2 - Aldinga to Sellicks Beach	$136 million	$170 million
South Eastern Freeway Safety Upgrade	$28 million	$35 million
Strzelecki Track Upgrade	$100 million	$125 million
Victor Harbor Road Upgrade	$12 million	$12 million
Princes Highway Corridor Funding Allocations
Princes Highway Corridor - Intersection Improvements	$40 million	$50 million
Princes Highway Corridor - Overtaking Lanes	$28.8 million	$36 million
Princes Highway Corridor - Pavement Works	$45.6 million	$57 million
Princes Highway Corridor - Pavement Works	$4 million	$5 million
Princes Highway Corridor - Safety and Signage Improvements	$10.4 million	$13 million
Princes Highway Corridor - Shoulder Sealing	$7.2 million	$9 million
Subtotal	$612 million	$762 million

The resignation has been announced of one of South Australia’s most influential industry lobbyists, Civil Contractors Federation South Australia (CCF SA) Chief Executive, Mr Phil Sutherland.

He will step down from the pivotal position in January next year, ending a nine year tenure with the organisation, regarded highly for its role under his helmsmanship on pressuring government at all levels to employ infrastructure outcomes as economic drivers.

Mr Sutherland says the decision is timely, allowing him to consider alternative career opportunities and for the CCF (SA) to refresh and refocus at a time civil construction will be a cornerstone behind the pace and success of SA’s post-COVID recovery.

Well-known and respected in government, industry and media circles, Mr Sutherland emerged as a fearless champion for civil contractors and the civil construction industry and a vocal advocate for South Australia.

He successfully transformed the Federation from a little-known industry association to significant prominence, placing the lobby group firmly in the spotlight as a key influencer of government, politicians and community stakeholder interests.    

Under Mr Sutherland’s leadership, the CCF (SA)’s training operation, Civil Train, grew in reputation throughout both SA and the Northern Territory as a high quality not for profit trainer and has more recently extended its operations into Western Australia.

He also drove the approval of an Apprenticeship in Civil Construction, a long overdue qualification for the sector, establishing a career pathway into the industry for school leavers and others. The creation of a CCF SA sponsored Group Training Organisation to manage apprentices for the industry is also a highlight of Mr Sutherland’s tenure. 

Comments attributable to Mr Sutherland.

“It has been an honour and privilege to be the face and spokesperson for such an important South Australian industry.

“The role demands you play with a straight bat with politicians, regardless of their colours. This requires some hard truths to be faced at times by government, as unpalatable as that can be for the government of the day.

“I will leave the position knowing that the Federation has played a major role in seeing historically high government investment in transport and other infrastructure destined for South Australia, and that the State, in particular smaller businesses are benefiting from local industry participation requirements of government.    

“Civil contractors of all sizes are out there day in and day out building South Australia and ensuring a lifestyle we enjoy and mostly take for granted.

“These contractors deserve their place in the sun and full recognition for their substantial economic contribution to the prosperity and lifestyle of South Australia.”

Comments attributable to Mr Paul Davison, President of the CCF (SA): 

“Mr Sutherland’s contribution to increasing the advocacy of the CCF (SA) has been second to none over the time he has overseen our Association. We have never before in our history had the visibility we have secured before Government and the media.

“Mr Sutherland has steered the organisation through a vast array of difficult and challenging times and the CCF (SA) is clearly in a better state for his contribution and leadership.”

As South Australia mourns yet another life lost on the fateful Augusta Highway, the State Government has been taken to task by a major industry lobby group asking how many more lives are to be lost before remedial action is taken.

The call has been made by the influential Civil Contractors Federation (SA) and follows the weekend death of a 21-year old woman in a head-on collision between her car and a semi-trailer at Bungama on the Augusta Highway.

“The CCF (SA) is saddened to hear of yet another fatality on this notoriously treacherous stretch of road. This fatality brings the total number of crashes in the past five years on the Augusta Highway to 542, with 39 fatalities (3 so far this year alone), 97 serious injuries, and 284 minor injuries,” the CCF (SA)’s Chief Executive, Mr Phil Sutherland, said today. 

“This loss of life at the weekend may well have been prevented if the Augusta Highway was dual laned,” Mr Sutherland said.

“As a result, there is now another family who has needlessly lost a much-loved family member, friends who have lost a good friend, and a community in mourning.  

“The CCF (SA) calls on both the SA and Federal Governments to act now, and fast track the duplication of the Augusta Highway.

“Given the very high casualty rate and the importance of the Highway between Port Wakefield and Port Augusta as a strategic freight and road transport corridor, its remediation should be an absolute priority – an appeal made for years to Governments by the Federation.

“How many more people have to die on this terrible stretch of road before our political leaders act?

“It beggars belief that this section of National Highway A1 remains in such a dilapidated state given its crucial link to the national road system

“South Australians deserve much better roads than the Augusta Highway,” Mr Sutherland said.

He questioned why South Australia should be viewed as the poor relation for funding when it came to the State’s roads?

“Look over the border and see the much higher quality of road infrastructure,” Mr Sutherland said.

“Pleasingly, at last the bridge at Port Augusta and the road through Port Wakefield are being upgraded. It would make an enormous amount of sense to duplicate the road between these two points at the same time. This would simply amount to an extension of the duplicated road from Gepps Cross to Port Wakefield.”

The CCF (SA) noted that National Highway A1, a network of highways that circumnavigates Australia joining all mainland state capitals, is recognised because of its total length of 14,500 km as among the longest national highways in the world.

“Yet despite this, the section of highway between Port Wakefield and Port Augusta is a meagre two lane road that has to exist as a major strategic transport and freight corridor connecting Adelaide to the north of South Australia and the rest of Australia.

“The road carries between 8,000 and 10,000 vehicle movements each day comprising a toxic mix of cars, caravans, and heavy transports, including military traffic, oversize combinations and mass vehicles in the B-Doubles, B-Triples and road train categories.

“The highway north of Port Wakefield is comprised of narrow bridges and a railway level crossing. The road surface condition features degraded road shoulders and verges, roughness and rutting of the road surface, and is generally a patchwork of bitumen showing regular repair and maintenance works.

“The time to act is now – before police have to knock at midnight on yet another unsuspecting family at home.”