Federal Labor would not match a Coalition promise to spend $20 million upgrading a notorious section of the Princes Hwy, Gilmore Labor candidate Neil Reilly has said.
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott announced yesterday the Coalition would dedicate funds to upgrade the highway near Termeil, between Batemans Bay and Ulladulla, if it won next month's election, following lobbying by Gilmore MP Joanna Gash.
"This is a very dangerous section of road," Mr Abbott said.
EDITORIAL: Limp promiseThe announcement cemented a promise made last month by Mrs Gash about a Coalition upgrade to the road after the death of a woman in a car accident at Lake Tabourie.
But Mr Reilly criticised Mr Abbott's promise, saying a major review of the road was needed before money was thrown at it.
"Before Labor makes any promises, the road will be examined, upgrades costed and we'll see how it fits with the community and the budget," Mr Reilly said.
"My view over and above is that this road needs a strategic plan involving all levels of government and the community.
"I believe the money Mr Abbott is proposing would be better spent on Gilmore's health care and its economy."
Mr Reilly accused Mrs Gash of using the Princes Hwy as a political football, saying she had backflipped on her previous view that the road was "a state issue".
"It annoys me that since 1996 the only time Joanna Gash has been an advocate for the Princes Hwy is at election time and in between elections, she has regarded it as a state responsibility," Mr Reilly said.
"If it's so bad, why didn't she do anything about it during the 11 years the Coalition were in power?"
Mrs Gash laughed off Mr Reilly's suggestion the Coalition underfunded the highway, saying that while in power the Coalition had spent $68 million on upgrades.
"And now we've committed again another $20 million on top of that if we get elected, after Labor has said this road is not an issue," she said. "This announcement confirms the Coalition recognises the importance of the Princes Hwy."
Between 2002 and 2008, 91 people were killed on the highway between Wollongong and Bega, prompting a 2008 coronial inquest into 19 deaths.
Deputy State Coroner Carl Milovanovich described the road as "unforgiving" and said simple driver error on the road could be catastrophic.
However, he stopped short of blaming the road or funding shortfalls, and made only one recommendations for upgrades along its entire route.
Since then the carnage has continued. Last summer seven people were killed on the highway in three separate crashes.
One crash claimed four lives when a family car collided with a petrol tanker.
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