15th October, 2025.
Regional roads, such as Remembrance Driveway, need consistent State Government oversight. That road is a vital artery weaving through Wollondilly shire from Camden Park in the north, just outside my electorate, down to Yanderra in the south. Wollondilly is a gateway between Sydney's south‑west and the Southern Highlands, with Remembrance Driveway serving not just locals but also commuters, freight and emergency services. Yet this road, like Menangle Road and Silverdale Road, shifts from being State managed at our boundaries to being council's responsibility within them, leading to patchy repairs, inconsistent standards and delayed maintenance. It is time for the New South Wales Government to step up and ensure that these roads are cared for uniformly under State management, aligning with their regional significance amid our booming growth.
Both of my council areas are transforming. With Wilton rezoned for thousands of homes and Appin on exhibition for 16,000 more, we are projecting up to 100,000 new residents by 2041. That surge will amplify traffic on Remembrance Driveway, which is already strained by consecutive floods since 2021 that were declared natural disasters that ravaged our network. As Wollondilly Shire Council's road classification review highlights, those roads meet State criteria of high connectivity, freight routes and emergency links. In neighbouring areas, they are State roads; in ours, they are not. That inconsistency burdens our council, diverting resources from local streets to what are effectively regional lifelines. Reclassifying them would free the council to focus on local roads, while the State, with its expertise and funding, can ensure uniform quality, from asphalt standards to timely pothole fixes.
I need to be clear that this will not fix every road and every pothole. However, it will create a fairer, more consistent position with a road that is State at the boundaries, both north and south, but within the Wollondilly council area Remembrance Driveway is a regional road. I thank the Minister for Roads and Premier Minns for announcing the Government's August 2025 overhaul of the road re‑categorisation process, with a fairer, data‑driven system that is always open for applications. It is about time. The new self-assessment tool and portal promise transparency, assessing roads on real usage like traffic volumes and climate resilience. Wollondilly Shire Council swiftly applied in August under this framework for Remembrance Driveway, Menangle Road, and Silverdale and Burragorang roads. That is progress. I thank the Minister for her engagement over the past two years, including for our meetings and the pilot request I made in August for Remembrance Driveway. Her willingness to collaborate shows goodwill towards communities like ours that are patiently awaiting a fairer system.
Again, let's be clear: Reclassification will not fix all issues overnight. Even if approved tomorrow, it may not mend every pothole or flood-damaged section immediately. The council receives an estimated $2 million annually through the Regional Road Block Grant to maintain those assets, plus additional grant funding for safety upgrades and disaster recovery. Under State management, that funding could be lost or redirected, potentially shifting priorities. We must weigh that carefully and ensure that transfers include transitional support to avoid gaps in upkeep. I acknowledge the tireless work of Wollondilly Shire Council and its councillors both past and present, as well as the mayor. Their submissions, updated with post-flood data, paint a stark picture of the millions that were spent on these roads over three years, far exceeding local budgets. They have advocated relentlessly, highlighting from the 2017 Greater Macarthur studies to recent freight expectations how managing those routes drains resources from our kilometres of local roads.
But caution is the key. Even with reclassification, full upgrades take time, planning and investment. It is not a silver bullet. That is why we all—government, councils and communities—must fight together for maximum funding and a consistent approach to road fixes. The new process must prioritise high‑need areas like ours. Wollondilly is not shirking growth; rather, it is embracing it. But fairness demands that the State own and maintain these regional connectors, just as in Camden or Wingecarribee. I look forward to the support of both sides of this place on Wollondilly's application and the approval to transfer Remembrance Driveway to State care. Let's build a network that is safe, resilient and equitable for our families, our economy and our future.