Results were presented at a forum in Darwin on Wednesday regarding the application of CSIRO’s Transport Network Strategic Investment Tool (TraNSIT) to road upgrade proposals, submitted by stakeholders, under the Federal Government’s $100 million Northern Australia Beef Roads Programme.
CSIRO TraNSIT project leader Dr Andrew Higgins said the aim of the computer-based logistics tool is to assist the government to identify road investment priorities, in terms of benefits for the beef industry and savings in transport costs.
The beef road submissions included regional roads across Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia with the successful submissions due to be announced by the government from mid-2016.
The proposed upgrades ranged from new bridges to sealing and/or widening of roads to enable access for higher productivity vehicles.
“TraNSIT is crucial in helping the government to prioritise their $100 million investment to maximise industry benefit,” Dr Higgins said.
“Farmers will be saving money on transport but there will be increased road safety for all drivers using upgraded routes. Shorter trip times and better roads will also result in less impact on cattle and higher cattle prices,” he said.
TraNSIT provides the most comprehensive mapping and optimisation of the cattle supply chain in Australia. It accounts for 20 million cattle transport movements in a given year between over 100,000 enterprises.
CSIRO researchers joined federal, state and local government and beef industry representatives at the forum.
Senator The Hon Ian Macdonald welcomed this critical step towards a fully-funded program of beef road upgrades.
“The tool has identified 55 specific road projects across the north for further consideration and assessment,” he said.
“Projects that were assessed include the unsealed sections of the Outback Way and the Peninsula Development Road, the Savannah Way to the west of Doomadgee, the unsealed sections of the Hann, the unsealed sections of the Tanami Road in the Northern Territory and the upgrade and widening of sections of the Great Northern highway in Western Australia.
“Some of the results are very and will deliver real benefit to the industry.
“It’s now up to the private sector, state governments and councils across northern Australia to form partnerships, contribute to the 20 per cent co-payment needed to get these road projects off the ground, and submit formal applications for funding to the Department of Infrastructure.”
Member for Mt Isa Rob Katter said the the sealing of the Hann Highway would open up the development of the agriculture industry and deliver an alternative option to the much-maligned Bruce Highway.
“One triple road train on the Hann Highway can take two B-Doubles off the Bruce Highway, making savings in road maintenance and improving safety,” he said.
“With the Hann Highway sealed the $4 billion banana industry can get its produce from Far North Queensland to the Melbourne and Sydney markets eight hours earlier, so it’s a huge advantage that would entice development in industry in the north.
“It would also be of major benefit to stimulate industry through efficiencies and help curb the 15.1pc unemployment rate in Outback Queensland.”
