The Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, yesterday met with mayors of cities and towns around Canberra to receive a petition calling for the urgent duplication of the Barton Highway.
The mayors were introduced to the Prime Minister by ALP candidate for Hume, Michael Pilbrow.
Present at the meeting arranged by Mr Pilbrow were:
- Rowena Abbey, Mayor of Yass
- Geoff Kettle, Mayor of Goulburn
- Wendy Tuckerman, Mayor of Boorowa
- Chris Manchester, Mayor of Harden
- John Shaw, Mayor of Upper Lachlan
Mr Pilbrow said the meeting was a significant step in the campaign to have the highway duplicated.”I applaud the Mayor of Yass, Rowena Abbey, for initiating the petition and thank the other Mayors and community members who have got behind the campaign so strongly,” he said.
“The fact that the Prime Minister was able to meet the mayors and receive the petition means the issue is now squarely before the Federal Government.
“The next step will be to get the NSW Government to take some notice. The duplication will only proceed if the NSW Government lists it as a priority and both governments agree.
“There are more than 6,000 people who commute from the Hume electorate to Canberra each working day, and the majority of them use the Barton Highway.
“The Federal Labor Government spent $36 million on works that were opened in late 2011 that addressed some of the most dangerous stretches of the highway. But too many serious accidents still occur – as recently as last week.
“Full duplication is the best way to improve the safety of the Barton Highway and I will work with the mayors to assist in their campaign,” Mr Pilbrow said.
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