SEVERAL Riverland sporting clubs and road trouble spots were on the agenda for one of the state’s highest-ranking ministers during a recent visit to the region.
Sport and Infrastructure Minister Corey Wingard, with Member for Chaffey Tim Whetstone, visited several locations across the region, including Wentworth Road in Renmark, the Sturt Highway/Old Sturt Highway intersection near Barmera, and the Berri, Waikerie and Loxton football clubs.
The visit also included a stop at the Brown’s Well Highway to see the progress on $13.5 million worth of works joint-funded by the State and Federal governments.
Mr Wingard told the Murray Pioneer the safety upgrades on the highway, which will allow the speed limit on the highway to return to 110km/h, were “moving along really well”.
“The previous government had a road maintenance backlog, and their solution was to drop the speed limits,” he said.
“We are reinvesting in roads and getting them back up to standard.
“We are very conscious that we want to make sure we have the road safety standards in place before we put the speed limits back up, and we make no apologies about that.
“That’s the work we are doing now, and we look forward to putting those speed limits back up when that work is complete.”
Mr Whetstone said the improvements to the highway were “important now more than ever”.
“With the Brown’s Well Highway upgrade, that is important now more than ever, not just because we had an election commitment to fix the road and reinstate the 110km/h speed limit, but also because it’s becoming a very important freight route with the cessation of rail,” he said.
“Now that we are seeing more and more grain receival silos and depots being closed it’s more important than ever for farms harvesting grain and moving it long distances to have roads that are safe.
“The Brown’s Well Highway is also one of the key permit highways – when people have wide loads or mass loads they use that road.
“It is a very important freight corridor from the east to the west.”
Mr Wingard also said sporting clubs in the region were “vitally important” after the COVID pandemic, with the State Government looking to support clubs with their projects.
“Through COVID it’s really come to light that getting people active and getting people moving physically is a really important part for mental health and wellbeing for everyone,” he said.
“The other thing we’ve been discussing very much in communities like this is the social aspect of sport as well and getting people around sporting clubs and how important that is for mental health and wellbeing. I think that’s really come to the fore.
“Our sporting clubs are always vitally important, especially in communities like this, but on the back of COVID, more than ever social interaction has been so important.”
Mr Whetstone said several clubs had received grants recently to help improve facilities and equipment, and to make sure sporting clubs “are there on the other side of COVID”.
“Even the small active club grants are really important for some of the smaller clubs and it gives them the opportunity to buy equipment, upgrade their facilities and entice the younger ones to step up and be part of the club,” he said.
“On the other side of COVID, we have to keep promoting sport, making sure sport is part of our social fabric and that has never been more important than now, particularly with COVID.
“It’s about giving our youth the opportunity, and the only way we’re going to attract them into some of these sporting codes is by making sure they’ve got the equipment so that they can give it their best shot.”